IEAA Vista summer 2013 by IEAA

VISTA

SUMMER 2013

10 TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL CHANGE

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

THE HOUSE THE COALITION ASPIRES TO (RE)BUILD: 2013 IN REVIEW LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS: THE (NEXT) PLACE TO BE? | AND MORE...

SUMMER 2013 | 1

CONTENTS

THE HOUSE THE COALITION ASPIRES TO (RE)BUILD: 2013 IN REVIEW Helen Zimmerman 10 TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL CHANGE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION Rob Malicki

STREAMLINED VISA PROCESSING: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR? Phil Honeywood

LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS: THE (NEXT) PLACE TO BE? Sofía Pereira

FORGING PARTNERSHIPS IN A CHANGING INDIA Eugene Sebastian and Abid Khan

STUDENT SAFETY IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION Gordon Scott

SUPPORT SYSTEMS ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Exemplary Academic Integrity Project Team

WHERE DO WE STAND IN THE MIGRATION DEBATE? Joanne Barker

UPDATES FROM THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGs)

Admissions & Compliance Internationalisation of the Curriculum Marketing, Recruitment and Communication Pathways Sponsored Students Student Mobility Transnational Education PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CONFERENCES

HIGHLIGHTS

TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL CHANGE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

How can technology help you do more with less? Rob Malicki stretches your ideas about how technology can be used in the workplace and how important it is to the future of international education. Page 8.

LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS: THE (NEXT) PLACE TO BE?

STUDENT SAFETY IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION

Australia consistently ranks among the top destinations of choice for Latin American students, writes Austrade’s Sofía Pereira. Page 14.

Gordon Scott reflects on the lessons learned from the tragic loss of Korean student Eunji Ban in Brisbane. Page 22.

2013 IN REVIEW

THE HOUSE THE COALITION ASPIRES TO (RE)BUILD It’s been a tumultuous year in politics. But the election of the Coalition Government – and Christopher Pyne’s bold plans to build a “new architecture for international education” – show promising signs for international education in Australia. Helen Zimmerman reflects back on the year that was and casts her eyes to 2014. The Land Down Under: the world’s most expensive? In 2013 Australia was unceremoniously declared the most expensive destination country for international students. According to research released by HSBC in August, the typical annual cost of tuition and living expenses for international students in Australia is $US38,516 ($42,195). This compared with $US35,705 in the United States, $US30,325 in the United Kingdom and $US26,011 in Canada. This wasn’t welcome news for an industry plagued by overregulation, sliding enrolments and other challenges over the last few years. The high Australian dollar, widely publicised attacks on students in 2009–10, tougher visa rules, a view 4 | VISTA

that Australia was unwelcoming to international students, and increasing international competition have all contributed to an overall decline in export value from $18.1 billion in 2009–10 to just $14.7 billion in 2011–12 (a figure that the ABS has since revised downwards). However, some relief came with a sharp fall in the value of the Australian dollar, following a Reserve Bank decision to cut interest rates in May. The dollar dropped almost 12 per cent, reaching its lowest point since 2010 – around US$0.90. If this level can be maintained going into 2014, then this will hopefully reduce the cost barrier of studying in the Land Down Under.

“This is the time to begin building the new architecture that will sustain the international education sector through decades of future growth. An export industry not only to be proud of, but sure of.” Christopher Pyne, AIEC 2013

Image: Yme Tulleners (Kirkland Photography)

Peak bodies join forces for headline of the year The headline of the year surely goes to The Australian’s Higher Education Supplement, which likened Australia’s international education industry to the “bastard child of Australia’s export industry”. “International education is treated like the bastard child of Australia’s export industry with no political ownership, fractured policymaking, marketing and promotion, and an almost wilful disregard for the changing realities of the market,” opined Julie Hare and Bernard Lane (The Australian, 14 August 2013). The editorial came in response to two pre-Election communiqués delivered by a joint coalition of international education industry peak bodies, in which IEAA took a coordinating role. The peak bodies over the past few years have consistently called for a whole-of-Government approach to international education so it was timely for us to show that the industry was focused on a whole-ofindustry approach. Given previous divergent policy positions on a range of matters, this coordinated approach was widely welcomed by international education stakeholders.

Among other issues, the peak bodies called on the incoming government to create a highlevel ministerial council (as recommended in the Chaney report), review the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test and overhaul visa charges following counter-productive changes since the Knight Review. “International education is at a crucial turning point in Australia, and governments have two choices,” said IEAA’s Phil Honeywood in an accompanying press release. “They can persist with a fragmented, unhurried approach to managing global shifts in international education and watch as students vote with their feet by choosing to study elsewhere. Or governments can take strong, decisive, action to restore our status as a destination of choice for international students.”

Out with the old, and in with the Coalition Tony Abbott’s election as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia in September came as no surprise to ardent poll watchers.

After four changes of Labor Education and Immigration Ministers in six months, the new government brought a new sense of optimism to restoring Australia’s international education industry. In his first address to the sector as Education Minister, Christopher Pyne assured delegates at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in October that “restoring international education to its rightful place as one of our most valuable exports” was one of the Coalition’s key priorities. “We will deliver a clear strategy, one that lays out a path to growing a world-class education and research industry, that realises our economic potential, reduces barriers and frees the sector to be more productive and globally competitive.” Pyne committed to respond fully to recommendations in the Chaney report (“Australia – Educating Globally”) which included: ■■ easing sector regulation, ■■ boosting outbound mobility, and ■■ expediting streamlined visa processing for low immigration risk providers.

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Archiving the Asian Century The year began in earnest on the back of the Labor Government’s much-vaunted ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper. It was heralded as the blueprint for Australia’s engagement with the region for years to come. Instead, it has been quietly sent to the archives of the National Library – not even a year after its release – by the newly-elected Coalition Government. No-one disagreed with the White Paper’s aim of developing deep and meaningful engagement with our Asian neighbours and supporting young Australians to study overseas and learn an Asian language. In fact, international education providers had been forging links with Asia for many decades. However, for all its laudable national aims, action was slow. As Murdoch University’s Mark Beeson described it in The Conversation, the Asian Century White Paper became “yet another example of lofty rhetoric with little of substance committed to actually implementing policy.” One tangible and welcome outcome of the White Paper for the international education industry was the Gillard Government’s allocation of $37 million over three years for 3,500 AsiaBound scholarships per annum (up to $5,000 for each student), plus $1,000 for intensive Asian language tuition. This was substance, not rhetoric, and has been built on by the Coalition Government with its New Colombo Plan.

The New Colombo Plan The New Colombo Plan was officially launched on Tuesday 10 December 2013. It is big and bold, a cornerstone of the Coalition’s international education policy – and close to the heart of Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop, who sees it as ‘rite of passage’ for Australian students. Whereas AsiaBound focussed only on 6 | VISTA

a study abroad experience, the New Colombo Plan intends to promote study opportunities combined with a course-related internship or mentorship in an Asian city. It also envisages support for Asian language training, alumni network promotion and research collaboration. The Coalition will honour AsiaBound funding commitments until the first round ceases on 31 December 2014. In the meantime, the New Colombo Plan’s pilot phase will be rolled out across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore in 2014, before taking full effect from 2015. New funding totalling $100 million has been committed for the Plan’s implementation over four years. The New Colombo Plan has the potential to be a game changer in our engagement with Asia and the opportunities it offers young Australians. It will lay deep foundations for our growth as a nation for generations to come. It has the potential to sit above politics, having bi-partisan, industry and business support and one of our great and inspirational national leaders as its Patron, the Governor General, Her Excellency the Hon Quentin Bryce. IEAA is also pleased to have Executive Director, Phil Honeywood, on the Colombo Plan’s Steering Committee.

The world of SVP Two years ago, Australia’s public universities welcomed the Michael Knight review of the student visa program and the introduction of streamlined visa processing (SVP). Notwithstanding the initial accolades, SVP came at a cost. The Government has taken the view that shared benefits mean shared risks. Universities and their nominated educational business partners have been required to sign up to stringent conditions, investing in new systems and personnel to ensure the integrity of the process.

“The current SVP methodology works for universities, degree granting HE institutions, and their educational business partners and should remain. However it was not designed for the small or the non-degree granting niche; it also doesn’t consider providers with long and strong track records in quality education provision.” It has not been easy, however the results have been positive for universities and their partners this year. Universities have certainly seen an increase in student visa grants and commencements. By contrast, student numbers have not recovered in other sectors apart from ELICOS, parts of which provide pathways to higher education. While ELICOS is seeing a return to growth, the VET (public and private) and schools sectors have continued to decline. Staying true to its election promise, the Coalition announced its intention to expand the list of education providers who will have access to SVP. Twenty-two degreegranting higher education providers (TAFE and private colleges) were invited in November to apply for SVP, creating in the eyes of many in the industry and in our key market source countries a divide between ‘the in’ and ‘the out’. The current SVP methodology works for universities, degree granting HE institutions, and their educational business partners and should remain. However it was not designed for the small or the non-degree granting niche; it also doesn’t consider providers with long and strong track records in quality education provision which don’t fit the current model. It is time for a fresh look at ways to meet the intent of SVP, namely to support all of Australia’s quality low-risk providers in attracting genuine students to Australia.

A recent report from the UK1 has some advice for us as they strive to improve their competitive position vis-a-vis other countries. “The government must clamp down on poorly performing institutions by ensuring that procedures and practices in education institutions are robust and effective. However, this needs to be balanced with allowing the sector some freedom and ability to flourish in the global market.” The current SVP arrangements are limiting our ability to flourish across the whole of the international education spectrum. We need to address this in 2014. As we cast our eyes to the new year, the key to a much-improved landscape will surely be a reduction of the silo effect in governance of our industry. State Governments including New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria have done much to better recognise, support and coordinate their international education sectors. The new federal Ministers of Education, Immigration, Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs have hit the ground running on a number of fronts and have all articulated their belief in the value of the Australian International Education industry to the nation’s future. A Federal Ministerial Coordinating Council will also do a great deal to bring about effective collaboration across government and provide a national approach and national leadership. Bring on 2014! Helen Zimmerman IEAA President 1 Sachrajda, A and Pennington, J (2013) “Britain wants you! Why the UK should commit to increasing international student numbers”, Institute for Public Policy Research.

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10 TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL CHANGE

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

Image: Andrew Rich (iStock)

Rob Malicki stretches your ideas about how technology can be used in the workplace and how important it is to the future of international education.

SMARTPHONES & THE VIDEO REVOLUTION

The post-PC revolution is already here. If you’re not mobile-focused you’ll quickly be left behind – particularly as the digitally native generations get older. Between 2012-2013, internet usage from mobile devices has grown 50 per cent. It now accounts for 17 per cent of all web traffic (and more still in some regions of the world). There are well in excess of one billion smartphone users and the number of mobile web users will surpass those tied to their desktops in 2014. Mobile commerce will grow fivefold by 2016 and mobile web users are five times more likely to abandon a task if their site isn’t optimised for mobile.

ENGAJER.COM

My favourite video platform of the past 12 months is engajer.com – an interactive platform that gives users a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ style of engagement with your short videos. My company, AIM Overseas, was looking for a solution that allowed students heading overseas for study to view our pre-departure videos in whatever order they wanted. Some students had travelled before, while others had not, so the information they needed was very different. engajer.com was a unique platform we found that – when coupled with strong back-end analytics – allowed us to get our information to students and monitor what they watched, when and for how long. As an inexpensive, cloud-based video delivery solution it is absolutely second to none.

More than a third of ‘millenials’ watch more content online than on TV – 60 per cent watch no TV at all! Naturally, the use of mobile video becomes critical along all points of the recruitment, education and post-study stages of an international education journey.

Google dominates the internet. Consider these statistics: Google facilitates 115 billion web searches per month, has 53 per cent market share of mobile advertising revenue, 43 per cent of web browser market share, $40 billion in ad revenue (and growing) and 80 per cent market share of mobile operating systems. Google will transform international education in two ways: firstly through access and secondly through driving collaboration. In 2012, Google launched a series of Wifi-generating balloons in remote New Zealand. These balloons stay aloft through a combination of solar power and clever engineering and provide internet access in incredibly remote areas. Google plans to release such balloons in many remote areas of the world, opening up education opportunities – and thus international education – to a whole new demographic. They have also launched Google Fibre in a number of US cities. Think Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) running up to 50 times faster at half the cost. Having internet speeds that are so fast, at such low cost, will revolutionise the way people access and engage with education. It will be possible to stream video in HD across the world, download enormous files in seconds and collaborate (such as via video conferencing) in ways not yet imagined. The possible ways to internationalise the curriculum, through engaging with partners and organisations around the world, will be almost limitless.

As such, mobile technology will fundamentally change international education in the way people browse for information, purchase educational offerings and engage with their institutions. If your institution’s website isn’t optimised for mobile, prospective students will simply look elsewhere. But there’s another characteristic of Smartphone users that is critical for international educators and that is the incredible consumption of video on mobile devices: 75% of users will watch videos on their phones and 92 per cent will share videos from their phones.

GOOGLE & GOOGLE APPS

The post–PC revolution is already here. If you’re not mobile-focused you’ll quickly be left behind...

This collaboration will be driven by another of Google’s hallmarks: the pioneering Google Apps suite. A great many institutions have moved to the Google Apps Ecosystem because of its unrivalled capacity to create, store and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. And we’ve only seen the beginning of what Google will make possible in the Apps/collaboration space. SUMMER 2013 | 9

TECHNOLOGY

GLIFFY.COM

While we’re talking about collaboration, one of my great frustrations was always Microsoft Word’s inability to make it easy to create flowcharts and diagrams. Cue gliffy.com, a cloud-based flow chart program that allows you to create all manner of diagrams – from seating plans, organisational charts and project plans – for about $60 per year. Gliffy (and its main competitor, Lucidchart) have made collaborating on this sort of platform easy, cheap and accessible anywhere.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

By 2020 one technology futurist has predicted that an average ‘western’ human will have up to six technological sensors on their body. We have already seen the beginning of this with ‘Google Glass’, a computer and screen built into your regular glasses.

Google Glass will enable students to attend lectures in any language, providing real-time translation direct into a student’s line of sight.

How will wearable technology change international education? One of the biggest barriers to students studying internationally is language. Google Glass will enable students to attend lectures in any language, providing real-time translation direct into a student’s line of sight. It will render language barriers nonexistent or, at the very least, greatly diminished. Wearable technology also opens interesting possibilities for international research collaboration. Consider the Sensoria fitness sock (www.heapsylon.com).

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This device captures data about the way someone runs, in real-time, and feeds that to a Smartphone. This kind of technology could be used by sports scientists on different continents, and in different climatic conditions, to synchronise experiments and measure the impacts on athletes. Real-time datasharing would allow for adjustments to the experiment, increasing the effectiveness and vastly speeding up the research process.

3D PRINTING

The most incredible technology for international research collaboration will be the 3D printing revolution. You can print just about anything in 3D – from guns and body parts to sophisticated models and mechanical parts. In the past, the biggest restriction on this technology has been the prohibitive cost. But all that is changing with the advent of 3D printers such as the Form1 and Zeus. These 3D printers are designed to be desktop-based and inexpensive (around the cost of a high-end desktop computer). Researchers and students working on collaborative projects on opposite sides of world will be able to share objects almost in real-time. Imagine an engineering student working on a design problem. They ‘send’ their design to another student on the other side of the world who 3D prints the part they are working on, makes changes, then ‘sends’ it back to the original student. 3D printing is the closest humans will get to teleporting objects in foreseeable future. There are even predictions that within five years you will be able to ‘download’ the design for your favourite running shoes and print them at home on your 3D printer! Find out more about 3D printers at http://youtu.be/b09H7EcWKG8

The most incredible technology for international research collaboration will be the 3D printing revolution.

TOUT APP

Smartphones are changing the way people consume information and the explosion in apps is driving this – there is literally an app for almost everything. One of my favourites in the past 12 months is Tout App. You know how you’re never quite sure if that important email arrived at its destination and has been looked at? Tout App is your solution. Tout App (www.toutapp. com) is an impressive email productivity solution that allows you to build powerful email templates and follow-up workflows. You can also put those into action through strong relationship and email tracking analytics.

QWIKI

Qwiki is another ingenious iPhone app that rapidly converts photos and videos from your library into a single video set to a piece of music from your iTunes account. Its simplicity is staggering and the resulting videos are beautiful, helping anyone with an iPhone become a videographer in just minutes. Imagine the ease with which you can create simple, yet effective, campus tour and other student experience videos.

FACEBOOK

GRAPH SEARCH

No article on technology is really complete without at least some mention of Facebook. The social media behemoth has more than 1 billion active monthly users and 350 million photos are shared daily. What’s more, one third of millennials are more likely to buy from a company or organisation that has a Facebook page.

Social media, and in particular LinkedIn, has changed the way we present our professional capabilities. Some 80 per cent of employers have Googled potential employees. The impact of LinkedIn for international education is in the way that we prepare students to be job-ready and help them to develop their ‘pitch’ to potential employers. LinkedIn provides a powerful platform for students to brand themselves effectively, pitch themselves for jobs and maintain their professional contacts. LinkedIn Premium is the extension of the free network and it provides great value for individuals who really want to capitalise on the power of the platform. Additional features include seeing who has viewed your profile, detailed analytics on the performance of your posts and more detailed information about people within your network (and wider contacts three-steps removed). Perhaps the best feature is the ability to contact anyone within your network directly, even if you are not personally connected to them (think about the HR Director of that company you were interested in working for).

Facebook’s latest thing is Graph Search (not yet available in Australia). It’s like a web search, but it takes in all the info contained in your profile and those of your friends. Say you’re travelling overseas and want to know which of your friends are currently living in a particular city. At the moment it’s very difficult to work out without sending lots of messages and visiting lots of sites, but Graph Search will make this instantly available to you. Likewise, if you want to find a new band that you might like, Graph Search will allow you to very simply search for all the bands your friends like. Or what if you were interested in studying overseas? You could search for universities that your friends have studied at or recommend… need I say more? Technology is fundamentally changing the way the world works and the way we interact. International education is in no way immune from this and must also rapidly adapt or – like everything affected by the speed of technological change – risk being left behind. Rob Malicki is a Director of AIM Overseas, a leading provider of independent study abroad programs for Australian university students. www.aimoverseas.com.au

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STREAMLINED

VISA

PROCESSING

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR? The Abbott government has expanded the list of education providers who will have access to SVP, but if the experience of our public universities is anything to go by, it may well be a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’, writes Phil Honeywood.

Long and winding road Two years ago, Australia’s 39 public universities were delighted when the Michael Knight review of the student visa program gave them sole participation in a new streamlined visa procedure (SVP) policy framework. No longer would they be thrown into the same diminished “brand Australia” mix as their public TAFE and private education college cousins. A whole new world awaited them of fast tracked student visas, less rigorous vetting by the then Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and the likelihood of increasing their fee-paying international student numbers compared with other providers. All they had to do to pay for their right to party was open their books, recruitment procedures and academic progress performance measures to a group of accommodating public servants from Canberra. Unfortunately, a number of our universities discovered, to their great cost, that the visitors from Canberra came with forensic investigatory powers and skills that left no institution’s internal policies and procedures unturned. The end result of these investigations was that some universities were put on notice that the gift of SVP status would be for a probationary period only. The potential public relations disaster of losing that muchvaunted status 12 months down the road almost stopped some universities from proceeding. The end result of then being admitted to the SVP club was a requirement to spend large amounts of scarce university revenue on enhanced quality assurance departments and personnel. Many academic pathway partner colleges were also ditched along the way as the universities came to realise that they would wear the risk if these feeder colleges did not meet the new strict performance measures. Despite the initial trauma, however, most universities would now probably agree that the SVP journey has been worth the effort. After two years in operation, the

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public higher education institutions are definitely receiving the lion’s share of fee-paying international student visa grants. By contrast, student numbers have significantly diminished at non-SVP-accredited (and non-pathway-accredited ) TAFE and private colleges. Unfortunately, this has set up a winners-versus-losers dichotomy which, on any measure, was not sustainable.

Labor prevaricates While Knight’s review allowed public universities to enjoy the monopoly of both the new poststudy work rights policy and SVP entitlements, anyone familiar with Australia’s $15-billion-a-year international education industry would know that this situation could not prevail. For one thing, the similarly timed Bradley review of higher education had directly advocated for private providers to take up a greater share of education delivery if the nation was to meet growing student demand. It only took a few months, after post-study work rights (PSW) were announced, for the then Education Minister, Senator Chris Evans, to succumb to lobbying and open up PSWs to all higher education degree providers (both public and private). Not long after this announcement, a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting agreed that streamlined visa procedures would also be opened up to high-quality, low-risk private colleges and public TAFEs. The subsequent May 2012 COAG communiqué committed the Gillard Government to announcing an initial list of new SVP providers by December 31 that year. But Labor then hesitated at the starting blocks for the next 18 months. Former Minister Chris Bowen began a stakeholder consultation process on SVP expansion with seemingly good intentions. Indications were given that 40 providers might be put onto an initial list, that providers would be required to have a minimum of 400 international students to qualify and all sorts of

other criteria might be applied. The rumour mill worked overtime as to who might make the list. But for its own reasons, Labor baulked in announcing this expansion. Some suggested that it was a King Solomon syndrome – not wanting to get off side with TAFE directors and private college owners who might find themselves excluded from SVP entitlement. Others argued that Labor was sitting on a DIAC-recommended expanded list because it needed policy consistency in its campaign against the 457 visa for skilled workers – opening up Australia to more international students might not sit well at the same time. Whatever the reasons why the Gillard Government ignored its own COAG-imposed deadline, their constant prevarication did not go down well with many international education stakeholders. In the run up to the September election, they lobbied hard for an incoming Coalition government to make good on its overtures to quality VET and higher education nonuniversity providers.

What’s next? After some cross-portfolio negotiations, Ministers Christopher Pyne and Scott Morrison recently announced that 22 non-university higher education providers will be invited to apply for inclusion as SVP accredited institutions. The key word here is “invited”, which offers providers the option to decline. It also provides political justification as to why, for commercial in confidence reasons, the list should not be published. As the list was apparently derived from that of the previous government, it is also politically defensible. However, based on the institutional pain that was inflicted on the public universities when they agreed to accept their invitation to the SVP party, it will come as no surprise if some of the recent invitees decide not to proceed. It will be a balancing act for each of them. On the one hand the public servants, many of whom are genuinely sceptical of non-

university providers, will apply even more rigorous audit criteria. On the other hand, the attractiveness of marketing your institution to education agents and prospective students as “government endorsed” may well be irresistible. While the new government has provided no timetable for announcing expansion of SVP status to high-quality VET providers, philosophically it appears inclined to do so at some point. Certainly, sector-specific industry associations, such as TAFE Directors Australia and the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET), will be lobbying hard for this expansion. Education peak bodies will also be arguing for a separate new methodology that recognises small enrolment institutions, mostly secondary schools, as low risk for student visa approvals. In the meantime, the government has moved to placate the VET sector by abolishing country risk assessment levels 4 and 5. This makes the risk criteria and financial support requirements less onerous for some student source countries. There are those who will argue, however, that until other aspects of Knight’s architecture, such as the genuine temporary entrant test, are liberalised then VET enrolments will continue to suffer.

Student visas: the long view After two years of agitation, the initial monopoly of fast-tracked student visas given by the Knight review to public universities is no more. This should come as no surprise to those who read the major parties’ pre-election statements on international education. How this gradual opening up of student visa regulations will affect Australia’s reputation as a quality education destination will, as always, take some time to assess. Phil Honeywood is the Executive Director of IEAA.

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LATIN AMERICA THE (NEXT) PLACE TO BE?

14 | VISTA Image: Lifesizeimages (iStock)

Whether you choose to describe Latin America as a quiet achiever or a hidden treasure, there are several facts that the Australian international education sector cannot afford to ignore about this emerging market:

LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS

Australia consistently ranks among the top destinations of choice for Latin American students. Austrade’s Sofía Pereira offers her insight into this diverse region.

■■ With 26 per cent of its total population of 582 million aged 15–29 years, the region has a high demand for education services (Latin America and the Caribbean, The World Bank/Youthpolicy.org, 2012)

■■ The region continues to expand economically (GDP growth forecast at 2.7 per cent in 2013); and ■■ Australia is seeing growth in international student enrolments and commencements from Latin America at a significantly higher rate than the global average. SUMMER 2013 | 15

AEI’s October 2013 year to date statistics show that Latin American enrolments grew by 15 per cent compared to the same period in 2012. This is well above global enrolments which grew by only 2 per cent. Latin American commencements over the same period also grew by an impressive 19 per cent – also significantly higher than the global figure of 9 per cent. In both cases Latin America recorded the highest growth of any other region in the world. Source: Australian Education International.

Transforming Australia’s market position in Latin America

A continent of opportunities... if you’re strategic

In 2002 there were just 8,000 international student enrolments from Latin America in Australia; by 2012 this figure had grown to 32,000. This can largely be attributed to the introduction of scholarship programs funded by local governments. The Chilean Government’s Becas Chile Program paved the way with Australia as the pilot destination, both at the higher education and vocational education and training levels. This reflected confidence in the quality and stature of our education system.

Latin America’s expanding middle class is clearly demanding greater access to quality education. Its governments are focussed on improving productivity and generating greater employment opportunities, either by attracting more foreign investment or generating local research, development, innovation and talent.

Australia now consistently ranks among the top destinations of choice for Latin American students studying abroad with the support of local scholarships. In Brazil, for example, where Australia hasn’t traditionally been regarded as a higher education destination, we are now ranked as the fifth most important host country for students funded by the Science without Borders Program. This is no small feat. Competing with traditional international education destinations such as the US, the UK, Germany and France, Australia has done what other countries have perhaps failed to do: transformed itself into a high-quality, attractive, supportive, welcoming and rewarding international education destination for Latin American students. For example, the recent Austradeled ‘Win your Future Unlimited’ digital campaign attracted more than 835,000 visits to the campaign website, with the largest country visits coming from Brazil, at almost 160,000 (and the week six finalist of the competition is from Brazil!).

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A better educated and highly skilled workforce is required and both government and industry are looking for ways to close the skills gaps. English language skills, for example, are low and more often than not essential in an increasingly competitive labour market. Australian strengths and capabilities are a perfect match for Latin America. Austrade was quick to identify this when it took on the responsibility of marketing and promoting Australian education in 2010. Promoting Australia just as an education destination was not the right approach. Making Australian education and training relevant for Latin Americans was the key. So, at the core of Austrade’s education sector strategy in the region is its cross-sectoral focus. What is Australia good at? Where do we have a competitive advantage? What are Latin Americans looking for to strengthen their own workforce, economies and industries? Mining, water, food security and, more recently, energy have emerged as the key sectors of focus in Austrade’s cross-sectoral education strategy in Latin America. Australia has unique teaching, training and research strengths and capabilities in these sectors. It therefore makes sense to proactively pursue opportunities in these areas using Austrade’s badge of government, its extensive networks, and its specialised market know-how.

Key ingredients for success A solid strategy, focus, commitment and perseverance are the key ingredients for success in Latin America. Australia has come far in terms of positioning itself in the region. Latin American students bring much welcomed diversity to Australian classrooms and they often choose less traditional programs. However, the geographical, cultural and academic diversity that this market offers is also matched by the diversity of opportunities. Transnational education, teacher training, capacity building, curriculum development, collaborative research, joint program delivery, corporate clients and online education – these are all alternatives to pursue in addition to self-funded and scholarship funded international students.

Australia has done what other countries have perhaps failed to do: transformed itself into a high quality, attractive, supportive, welcoming and rewarding international education destination for Latin American students.

LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS

By showcasing the best of what Australia has to offer, Austrade is giving rise to new and exciting opportunities for Australian education and training providers. The key is focus, commitment and perseverance. While some opportunities are quick to emerge, others require a longer term approach. A successful strategy for providers requires similar ingredients.

As a former PROEXPORT campaign said of foreign visitors to Colombia, “the only risk is that you will want to stay.” In the case of Latin America, much the same can be said. When you visit the market for the first time, you will wonder why it took you so long to venture there in the first place. Sofía Pereira is Austrade’s Education Commissioner in Latin America. Based in Santiago, Chile, she leads a team of Education Managers located in Austrade posts in Chile, Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. SUMMER 2013 | 17

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UPDATES FROM THE SIGs

EXCHANGE FAIR CIRCUIT OUTBOUND MOBILITY FORUM 2014

Exchange Fair Circuit 31 March–9 April Outbound Mobility Forum University of South Australia 10–11 April Proudly presented by IEAA’s Student Mobility Special Interest Group (SIG)

ieaa.org.au/mobility SUMMER 2013 | 19

FORGING PARTNERSHIPS CHANGING INDIA IN A

A new joint Australian and Indian research academy offers some clues to a successful partnership model, write Eugene Sebastian and Abid Khan. Partnerships between leading institutions will be absolutely crucial to innovation and success in tackling the major issues in a changing world. A small number of critical factors affect the longterm success of such collaboration: (i) the depth of the alliance, (ii) shared aspirations and strategies, (iii) unified governance and (iv) the deployment of shared talent. When India’s human resource development ministry recently sent out queries to top 30 global universities inviting them to set up campuses in the country, the response was hardly enthusiastic, with many echoing the need for collaboration over a physical presence. In fact, Professor Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, said while it is “an interesting development which marks a growing trend towards transnational education, the varsity prefers collaboration over competition… Our own approach to global partnerships is that there 20 | VISTA

is such quality, excellence and potential in the Indian higher education sector that Cambridge wishes to collaborate rather than compete, to be a partner rather than a rival.” This response seems to echo similar sentiments expressed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while Yale and Stanford categorically declined the invite. Many foreign universities have some form of presence in India. The vast majority operates a very traditional model, involving smallscale partnership activities with local universities or companies, or through local representative offices aimed particularly at student recruitment. So how do partnerships with Indian institutions move beyond the perfunctory and small scale?

The relationship X Factor A partnership that offers a clue to a successful arrangement is the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and Monash University’s joint Research Academy in Mumbai. Launched in 2010, the Academy is a 50:50 arrangement, in a not-forprofit joint venture. It has a shared mandate and strategy that reports

to an independent directorate and is aimed squarely at addressing the joint issues faced by the two nations, through a model that shares talent. The partnership is unique for at least four reasons: (i) a unique focus on industry challenges, (ii) a highly multidisciplinary problem set, (iii) its physical scale, and (iv) its focus on postgraduate training and mobility … the goal being to create high impact global citizens. It actively tackles complex issues of major importance to the two nations where the partnership of the two universities’ capabilities is greater than the individual parts. Specifically, it physically combines the best researchers from both institutions and actively applies them to particular themes such as advanced computational engineering, simulation and manufacture, infrastructure engineering, clean energy, water, nanotechnology, biotechnology and stem cell research. Unlike most traditional international collaborative models, the partnership has a large-scale joint physical presence that is primarily research driven, with a major focus on PhD training. About 130 Indian PhD students are enrolled and jointly supervised by Monash and IITB staff. Students graduate with a joint degree from both institutions.

Their students have already published 72 papers in top journals. The Academy’s enrolment is set to grow to about 300 by 2015. Another reason why the partnership is unique is that the venture is fully oriented towards industry engagement. Research is expected to work on areas of interest to Indian and Australian companies. About 30 per cent of research currently undertaken is industry sponsored. This figure is set to reach 70 per cent in the near future. When students complete their PhD, many are placed in jobs with industry partners. The academy already attracts funding from BHP Billiton, Orica Mining Services, Infosys, Reliance Industries, P&G, Intel, Tata Consultancy Services and Jindal Steel Works. As a final point of uniqueness, it also allows students and staff to be mobile between two nations.

Critical success factors Four key success factors define this partnership. First, the bilateral relationship has been given the appropriate time to cultivate. The partnership began in 2005 when both institutions were actively looking for potential partners that were robust and deep enough to substantively tackle major research challenges.

Second, both agreed on a shared aspiration. At the outset of the relationship, IITB and Monash agreed that their joint venture would be driven by four elements: produce industry facing research; deliver impact on global issues based on their mutual strength; conduct collaborative and multidisciplinary research; and attract the best talent – students as well as academic and research staff.

As vice-chairman, it successfully attracted RA Mashelkar, former director general of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. Murthy has taken such serious interest that he has attended 13 meetings out of a total of 16. The Academy also appointed a highly regarded academic as CEO, Mohan Krishnamoorthy, who was Associate Dean of Engineering at Monash University.

Third, they put in place an effective governance structure that will drive the relationship. The structure was critical in ensuring both institutions from top to bottom were fully engaged; that processes and academic procedures were aligned; and that they created a hybrid PhD program that captured the best from two different systems. Professor Tam Sridhar, Monash University’s Vice-President (China and India Initiatives) and prime mover behind the partnership reinforced this point when he recently noted “industry – academia partnerships do not work if you leave it to individuals. You need an engine room for partnerships.”

Over the next decade, we can expect major changes to India’s R&D sector. Its government is progressively reforming and scaling up public investments into science and technology. A changing R&D sector will invariably create new opportunities for foreign institutions. India’s young demographic profile, huge talent pool, expanding science base, shared grand challenges and growing attraction to foreign firms seeking to internationalise R&D offers new points of connection. And as Leszek Borysiewicz proffered, India is ready for partnership rather than rivalry. It is also ready for innovative models for engagement.

Finally, they deployed the best talent. From its inception, IITB and Monash targeted the best people at the top. For its research council, it secured Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy as the chairman.

Dr Eugene Sebastian is Director, Global Engagement. Professor Abid Khan is Pro Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) and Pro Vice Chancellor (Industry Engagement and Commercialisation) at Monash University. SUMMER 2013 | 21

STUDENT SAFETY

STUDENT SAFETY IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION Gordon Scott reflects on the lessons learned from the tragic loss of Korean student Eunji Ban in Brisbane. Eunji Ban lost her life in the early hours of the morning in late November on her way to work as a cleaner in a local hotel. According to media accounts, she was on her own at the time and was attacked. A local teenager is in custody accused of her murder. This crime has shocked and outraged Brisbane residents. Many are now asking: how could this tragedy have been avoided when evidence overwhelmingly suggests Ms Ban was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and was the victim of a random attack. Perhaps a more pertinent question our industry should ponder is: do students come to our country with a false sense of security?

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Are we promoting complacency? In its endeavour to remain competitive on the world stage, Australia has every right to market its safety record. There is no doubt our country is among the safest of student destinations. This is something of which we should be proud. By the same token, it is possible that the industry’s safety message can be overplayed. Terms such as “one of the safest” and “a very safe place to live and study” permeate our marketing and public relations messages across the year. The lifestyle and safety expectations of students choosing Australia rate highly in market research surveys, especially during peak enrolment periods. Students arrive in Australia expecting to have a positive experience. They are usually excited, feeling adventurous, and full of hope – wanting to make their family proud of their academic achievements.

When we couple this understanding about their emotional state with the likelihood they have read or been told that Australia is safe, it is possible that some students take their safety for granted.

Safety programs available in your city Most Australian cities have student or youth safety programs that institutions can leverage. Some are coordinated by state or territory police, and others by local government. Safety messages must extend beyond personal security, and can be as far-reaching as to include issues around tenant and employment rights, safe sex, fire risks, driving, water safety and drugs/alcohol use. It is important to remember institutions don’t need to shoulder the responsibility of safety awareness alone – there are various agencies across Australia that can offer support to students.

New cohort 2014 – how will you brief them about their safety? Every provider in our industry has a duty of care requirement for overseas and domestic students alike, and I know those requirements are taken seriously. My message to you is simple: please ensure that your next incoming cohort is more than adequately briefed about their safety. The first line of defence for each student is to know their immediate environment. Let us all be reminded that visiting international students are the sons and daughters of Australia while they are here. Rest in Peace, the late Eunji Ban Korean student, daughter of Busan and Brisbane. Gordon Scott is Director of Export at Brisbane Marketing and an IEAA Board member.

STUDENT WELCOME SERVICES Student Welcome Services (SWS) provides a customisable pre- and postarrival online orientation program to ensure your international students have the opportunity to learn and understand the issues relating to living and studying in Australia. SWS is also translated into many different languages so students can access information about their new life from their home country before they set foot on Australian shores. As an initiative of Allianz Global Assistance, SWS has been established to assist Australian education institutions to meet industry and legislative expectations for orientation services and duty of care requirements. Allianz Global Assistance invites education providers to join SWS and offer this unique online orientation program to your international students. Education providers who are already using SWS as an additional value-add tool to complement their current orientation package are finding students arrive with a more educated and realistic expectation of their life in Australia. This in itself enables a smoother adjustment period and a more positive student experience.

Key benefits for education providers ■■ Customised content and branding specific to your institution ■■ Multi-topic and multi-lingual orientation program to support existing on-campus orientation activities ■■ Fully auditable and provides confirmation of student understanding of key compliance areas ■■ Assists you to meet industry and legislative expectations with regard to orientation services and duty of care to international students (Standard 6 - National Code and ESOS Act) ■■ Easy administration for education providers, supported by a specialist account management team. Find out more at www.studentwelcomeservices.com.au or contact your local Allianz Global Assistance representative. Image: wx-bradwang (iStock)

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SUPPORT SYSTEMS ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The team behind the Exemplary Academic Integrity Project discuss the latest results of their project and the importance of academic integrity for international students. The Exemplary Academic Integrity Project (EAIP) aimed to build on and extend previous research undertaken by the Academic Integrity Standards Project (AISP) and addressed two critical areas identified by Bretag et al (2013). First, support systems were developed for vulnerable student groups including English as an Additional Language (EAL) international students, and educationally â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;less preparedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (ELP) students who struggle to understand the concept of academic integrity without assistance. Second, the lessons about exemplary academic integrity policy and support frameworks were extended to include postgraduate higher degree by research (HDR) students. A Roundtable of project team members, Reference Group members and selected invitees was held in Brisbane on 28 February and 1 March 2013. The Roundtable provided an opportunity to share implementation details of exemplary academic integrity policy, adapt best practice for specific student groups and for public and private higher education (HE) providers to collaborate on issues of academic integrity. Following the Roundtable, key recommendations for enacting exemplary academic integrity policy were identified by the project team for immediate dissemination via the National Speaking Tour led by our two international experts, Dr Tricia Bertram Gallant and Dr Erica Morris.

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Plain English definition of academic integrity One of the findings of the project Roundtable was the need to have a plain English definition of academic integrity that could be used by higher education providers in their efforts to promote academic integrity to the project’s target student groups. The following definition was drawn from AISP: “Academic integrity encompasses a number of values and ideals that should be upheld in an academic institution. Within the academy there is a fundamental obligation to exercise integrity, which includes honesty, trustworthiness and respect. Within an academic structure those values must be evident in the research as well as the teaching and learning activities of the institution. Academic integrity involves ensuring that in research, and in teaching and learning, both staff and students act in an honest way, that they’re open and accountable for their actions, and that they exhibit fairness and transparency when they’re dealing with people or with research. Furthermore, it is important that staff members at all levels be role models and demonstrate integrity as an example to students who will progress through the education system and then transition into professional life. Academic integrity impacts on students and staff in these core activities, and is fundamental to the reputation and standing of an organisation and its members.” (AISP Interview transcript: Law Academic, University A)

The EAIP, in consultation with TESOL SA, has further adapted this definition to meet the needs of international EAL students, and this is presented in plain English as follows: “Academic integrity means acting with the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility in learning, teaching and research. It is important for students, teachers, researchers and all staff to act in an honest way, be responsible for their actions, and show fairness in every part of their work. Staff should be role models to students. Academic integrity is important for an individual’s and a school’s reputation.” All HE providers have been encouraged to use the simplified definition above to assist EAL students to understand the complex and sometimes confusing concept of academic integrity. Dr Fiona Henderson at Victoria University (Project Leader: Building Academic Integrity Project) has developed a Chinese translation of the plain English definition of academic integrity using the Delphi technique. In addition, participants at the 6th Asia Pacific Conference on Educational Integrity (Macquarie University 2–4 October 2013) expressed interest in translating the plain English definition of academic integrity into other languages such as Hindi and Bahasa Indonesian.

YouTube videos, tutorials and resources on academic integrity Based on the EAIP Roundtable discussions, the project team agreed to select YouTube videos using a set of criteria that included video quality, duration, student appeal, educational approach and language level appropriate for EAL students. These details

are provided as introductory material for each video and are summarised in a selection table available on the EAIP website. Academic integrity issues are complex and multi-faceted. The selected videos were intended to capture student interest and open a conversation on academic integrity. The categories of YouTube videos were: ■■ Why academic integrity is important ■■ The difference between intentional and inadvertent academic integrity breach ■■ Collusion versus collaboration ■■ Academic integrity breach decision making ■■ The link between academic integrity and real world experience ■■ Consequences of academic integrity breaches ■■ Peer to peer support ■■ Research integrity ■■ Educating students about a particular aspect of academic integrity (e.g. plagiarism) The YouTube videos, tutorials, and compilation of resources on academic integrity are freely available on the project website. For more information, contact Project Leader, Dr Tracey Bretag at tracey.bretag@unisa.edu.au or visit www.unisa.edu.au/EAIP

Reference Bretag, T., Mahmud, S., Wallace, M., Walker, R., McGowan, U., East, J., Green, M., Partridge, L., & James, C. (2013), ‘Teach us how to do it properly!’ An Australian academic integrity student survey. Studies in Higher Education, DOI:10.1080/03075079.2013.777406. SUMMER 2013 | 25

MIGRATION

WHERE DO WE STAND IN THE MIGRATION DEBATE? Joanne Barker shares her insights into the Immigration Department’s recent migration consultations. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has undertaken a national roadshow in November and December with a series of “consultation meetings” with key business representatives from peak bodies and community groups. The Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Michaelia Cash, is fronting the consultations with the intention of seeking community views on the size and composition of the annual permanent Migration Programme for 2014–15. The consultation I attended in Adelaide on 26 November focused heavily on the past and the traditional sources of family and skilled migration.

The word “students” was not mentioned by the Assistant Minister or by any of the DIBP speakers. Future migration policy plans were not covered in the presentation, much less was there any opportunity to critique such plans. A member of the audience, Professor Graeme Hugo, Professor of Geography and Director of the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre at the University of Adelaide, asked what policies are under consideration for the transitioning of the temporary onshore categories which would include 457 visa holders, students and working holiday makers. The opportunities for passage from temporary to permanent migration status is an important consideration for many prospective international students considering the countries in which they might undertake their studies. No answer was provided to this question. IEAA has long argued in the media and to politicians about the benefits of accepting Australian-educated international students as migrants.

We seek assurances from DIBP that future policies relating to onshore applicants will align with Education Minister Christopher Pyne’s views expressed in his AIEC speech on 9 October 2013: “….But other students, those that study here, gain an Australian qualification, make friends, bring their family out to visit, participate in, and are able to contribute to our society by filling an area of genuine workforce shortage. They are exactly the kind of people we want, and should want, at the front of our migration list – not at the end.” It was mentioned at the meeting in Adelaide that the Department and Minister will conduct an in-house review of the Regional Migration Program. There should be scope for students to be an important part of that review, as there is potential for them to be a crucial element in the Regional Program. The international education sector looks forward to the opportunity to participate in more focused discussions with DIBP about the specific issues concerning student migration. Joanne Barker is Director, International Office at The University of Adelaide and an IEAA Board member.

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After months of gaining quiet momentum, the Admissions and Compliance SIG finally came into fruition at IEAA’s AGM at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in October. This was largely the result of Simon Davies Burrows, Manager International at Edith Cowan University, who took the lead in generating interest and submitting the formal proposal to get the SIG up and running. The proposal was supported by 56 admissions, compliance and other professional staff from all over Australia. Since its official formation, the SIG now has 125 members! It’s fantastic to see such a great level of interest and is testament to the need for a specialised network of staff with an active interest in the area.

Leadership team We’ve since been on the lookout for dedicated and passionate staff with an interest in admissions and compliance to become part of the leadership team. Each SIG is comprised of a Convener and two Deputy Conveners. These positions provide a great opportunity to develop your own leadership skills as well as shaping the development and professional skills of those working in the wider sector. Expressions of interest for the Convener and Deputy Convener (x2) roles closed on Friday 13 December and we received a good number of nominations.

Professional development Once the leadership team is finalised, they will be able to begin work coordinating professional development events as part of IEAA’s national program. These are set to include events on international admissions and compliance related issues including, but not limited to: ■■ International admissions; Education Services for Overseas Students Act (2000); Tuition Protection Service; Australian Autonomous Sanctions Act (2011); Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP) and student visa issues ■■ Forums with industry peak bodies, Government departments and other stakeholders regarding longterm strategies and opportunities

UPDATES FROM THE SIGs

ADMISSIONS & COMPLIANCE

■■ Networking events allowing specialised staff to meet others working in similar roles, allowing for the sharing of information and best practice.

Join the SIG The SIG aims to provide support, professional development and networking opportunities for IEAA members and other interested professionals who work, or have an interest, in international admissions and/or international compliance. Membership is open to IEAA members and non-members. Join the SIG mailing list at bit.ly/1duxewB

We hope to have the inaugural leadership team finalised in early January, so the SIG can be firing on all cylinders, and continue gaining momentum, in 2014.

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UPDATES FROM THE SIGs

INTERNATIONALISATION OF THE CURRICULUM SIG Seasons Greetings readers and all the best in the New Year. It is hard to imagine where the year has gone! It only seems like several short weeks ago that we were at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC), from where we last reported. Without doubt this has been a huge year in Australian politics for foreign affairs and education, both areas of obvious interest to the IoC SIG. In our last update we drew attention to the New Colombo Plan and contemplated some of the opportunities and challenges associated with its implementation. As Jan Gothard recently observed in The Conversation (26 September, 2013), while the emphasis on furthering engagement with the Indo–Pacific region through the New Colombo Plan is laudable, caution needs to be exercised to ensure that domestic students are not neglected, nor their contribution to the international student experience undervalued. Incoming international students from the Indo–Pacific region accounted for 200,000 plus enrolments (2011) compared to just over 20,000 outbound international experiences undertaken by students enrolled in Australian university in 2011 (Chaney, 2013, p.18). This imbalance underscores the value of a focus on the curriculum at home as a means of encouraging domestic and international students to learn from each other as they develop their intercultural capabilities, global perspectives and understandings, sensibilities and imaginations.

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In fact, achieving the aims of the New Colombo Plan will require a concerted effort to internationalise the curriculum. Before we can expect Australian students to engage intellectually with AsiaPacific region, they must want to do so – they need to develop a sense of curiosity and humility, a sense that there is really something worthwhile to be learned through such engagement. A consistent message in the Australian media seems to be that ‘engagement’ with the Asia-Pacific region is a fraught, dangerous undertaking. It is hardly surprising that many young people do not engage deeply with the region, or see their languages worth the effort of learning. Looking forward to a new year for the IoC SIG, we would like to congratulate and thank Dr Shanton Chang (University of Melbourne) for his appointment to the Deputy Convenor’s position. We have met with Shanton and begun planning workshops and presentations for 2014. These will be announced in the New Year. Craig Whitsed & Wendy Green SIG Conveners Connect with us on LinkedIn at linkd.in/1cpHYxk

It’s the festive season, filled with Christmas parties and end of year get-togethers. For those of us in international education, it’s also an extremely busy time of year. Continuing on from the growth experienced in Semester 2 2013, admissions staff are busy trying to get those offers turned around in record time while maintaining both SVP and GTE requirements. Reflecting on our professional development sessions in 2013, it’s important Abizer, Ingeborg and myself thank those who generously gave their time and expertise to assist the Marketing, Recruitment and Communication SIG to develop innovative and insightful workshops throughout the year. We are hugely appreciative and thankful. I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome Ms Ingeborg Loon to the SIG leadership team. Ingeborg has many years of international education experience including working at Griffith University. Ingeborg is currently the Assistant General Manager, Partnerships, at Academies Australasia.

For next year, we are also seeking your input on what you’d like to see offered by the Marketing, Recruitment and Communication SIG. In the first half of the year we will run a workshop on utilising international alumni for international recruitment activities and also a session on the world of student recruitment in 2014 utilising Twitter, Google Ad-words and virtual fairs. From Abizer, Ingeborg and myself, we wish you all the best for the festive season. Happy holidays, stay safe and we look forward to a jam packed professional development year in 2014. Justine Morris SIG Convener

UPDATES FROM THE SIGs

MARKETING, RECRUITMENT & COMMUNICATION SIG

Connect with us on LinkedIn at linkd.in/17jyYEa

Ingeborg joined us in October and is already an active member hosting a Christmas Networking Event in Sydney on Thursday 5 December. The event was held at Academies Australasia in Kent Street and was attended by around 20 enthusiastic SIG members. Ingeborg reports that it was a successful evening. Even those who couldn’t attend emailed her to say what a wonderful initiative. In light of the positive feedback, we will host networking events in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide in 2014. Please continue to check our LinkedIn page for upcoming events and feel free to actively post articles pertaining to our industry. SUMMER 2013 | 29

UPDATES FROM THE SIGs

PATHWAYS SIG While there are various elements of Pathways covered in this Vista instalment, the most important aspect is to acknowledge the contribution of Paul O’Halloran in the emergence and development of the Pathways SIG. Paul has been the much respected Convener for this group and his efforts have provided the opportunity for many to gain valued insight and understanding of this area of the education industry – including standards, statistics and services... to name a few. I am sure you have all appreciated his efforts over the years, and know that although not now directly involved, we can count on him for input in the future. Thanks Paul. It is also appropriate to acknowledge Andrew Dawkins who was an immediate past Deputy Convenor. I’d also like to thank Rosie Giddings who is continuing in a SIG role, and to Nathan Asher who has also joined the Pathways SIG team. The Pathways SIG group has many identified members which is a good indication of the interest in this area of international engagement. Pathway programs in various types commenced in the late 1980s and have been a growing feature of the education landscape since that time. Indeed, there are potentially Pathways alumni who will have children ready to enter higher education – it would be good if their experience was such that they believe a Pathway program is the option they prefer.

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While there have been some difficult times of late with student numbers, there are very clear signs of a gradual recovery which we all welcome. We note in particular that the key market of China has shown growth in the double digits for HE Diplomas and Foundation visa grants, which is a positive sign. However, we need to be conscious of competition from areas such as direct Bachelor entry, transnational relationships, online delivery and competition from the USA via Community Colleges especially. Overall, there is cause for cautious optimism for growth into the future. The Pathway SIG workshops are being planned in advance, with the key focus to be related to the development of the customer value proposition for Pathways into Australia – essentially all the good reasons to choose a degree pathway program in Australia so as to increase their market share. The second theme will be a review of the Foundation Standards. Presenters for these will be required, and the aim is to have reference groups on these in advance so as to ensure the workshops give maximum value for the attendees. Keep these in mind! We encourage you to look out for these events and we look forward to seeing you there. Peter Krikstolaitis Convener

Welcome Welcome to our very first SIG update! The Sponsored Students SIG was officially born at the IEAA AGM at AIEC 2013 in October. After several months of gathering support, putting forward pitches and developing a terms of reference, it was great for the SIG to finally turn from proposal to reality.

Leadership team I will be taking on the role as inaugural convener for this new SIG. I have worked with sponsors and sponsored students in a variety of roles, and from a variety of perspectives, over the past decade. These roles include working for a managing contractor, and as International Scholarships Manager at Victoria University. I now work as an International Education Consultant. Deputy Convener is Sarah Treadgold, who works at Austraining International as Program Manager of the Australia Awards Prime Minister’s Pacific Program. Sarah previously worked at Curtin University in the International Sponsored Students Unit. We are seeking expressions of interest for a second Deputy Convener. More information is available on the IEAA website at bit.ly/1jjyO8U

What’s happening? It has been an interesting year for the sponsored student area. From various political controversies, huge growth from Latin America and – most significantly – the integration of AusAID into DFAT following the election in September.

We have also established a LinkedIn group for the SIG. We see this as a place to share stories, information and relevant articles as well as being a space where you can ask questions and seek assistance. Along with the other SIGs, we are also helping to put together IEAA’s Professional Development program for 2014. We hope that you will be able to attend one of our activities. We also hope to hold a networking function in the first half of 2014.

Thank you Thanks to all who have expressed support for the SIG during its development over the past few months. We are passionate about international education and scholarships, and we feel there is a role for a SIG like this to help support the staff working with sponsors and sponsored students.

UPDATES FROM THE SIGs