Group Of Eight Australia Urges Withdrawal Of International Students' Cap

Study in Australia: The university sector has been opposing the recently implemented cap on international student enrolment in Australia. It is not only adversely affecting the finances of this sector but also Australia's varsities are losing their shine in the global rankings.

The leaders in the University sector of Australia are urging the government to withdraw the international students' cap. The Group of Eight Australia has been raising its concern about how it can adversely affect the sector if the government does not withdraw the cap implemented on the enrolment of new international students.

Group of Eight Australia said in its official statement that the Senate Committee Report is not providing any clarity on the future of Australia's most successful services export sector which is international education. There are no points on how the higher education system will shape up in the future.

"The Senate Committee is clearly split – despite compelling evidence from across the spectrum that capping international students will be a disaster on all fronts, the Government seems determined to push on and ignore the expert advice. The Coalition described the Government’s caps scheme as mired in incompetence, secrecy, uncertainty and unfairness. The Greens say it’s a chaotic plan that uses international students as scapegoats, and fortunately, Senator David Pocock has recognised and called out the threat to Australia’s research effort," said Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson.

Australian Universities fear losing rankings and recognition internationally

The sector was in fear that it might lose its reputation for international education and could also slip in the international university rankings. The latest World University Rankings 2025 released by THE has reflected the slightly declining popularity of Australian universities.

The members of Group of Eight such as the University of Melbourne and Monash University also earlier released statements related to the cap and they raised their concerns.

International Students' cap to destroy high revenue sector, warns universities

Vicki Thomson added, "Nothing the Committee has recommended by way of amendments will change the fact that a blunt cap on international students will destroy Australia’s $50 billion international education sector and have long-lasting impacts on the economy. The case against caps continues to build. This week we’ve seen evidence via Times Higher Education rankings that slamming the door on international students does impact our international reputation. International education has propped up the Australian economy post-COVID and this, our most successful services export sector, is now at risk. The RBA has warned that capping international students from 2025 ‘was expected to weigh on services exports’ and yet the Government continues to ignore expert advice."

“To add to the chaotic and frenetic nature of this fundamentally flawed policy, the delay in the introduction of the legislation is creating even more confusion for the sector. No other multibillion-dollar industry sector would be expected to set budgets for the next 12 months in a context of great uncertainty about a future revenue stream. Universities are effectively being held to ransom by a political play around migration ahead of an election. It’s in the best interests of the nation that this piece of legislation is delayed indefinitely, or better still scrapped altogether,” he added.

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