New Minister for Education makes first major speech on International Education

Delegates at the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in Canberra last week were delighted by the positive messages in Minister Pyne’s first major speech on international education, delivered at the opening plenary session.

It seems he has certainly heard the messages that were conveyed strongly in the joint communique issued by the education peak bodies, including English Australia, in the lead up to the election.

The Minister stressed the importance of international education to Australia, stating that “one of the Coalition’s key priorities will be restoring international education to its rightful place as one of our most valuable exports …… rebuilding the sector is essential and part of the Coalition’s plan to build a world-class 5-pillar economy”.

The Minister made a number of comments relating to “the mismanagement of changes to visas”, a key area of concern for the ELICOS industry, and specifically referenced that change was needed to both the genuine temporary entrant criteria (GTE) and streamlined visa processing (SVP). ELICOS providers will be heartened by these comments as well as by those related to reducing the regulatory burden on providers, “our plans include working with the sector to reduce inefficiencies, including through significant rationalisation of the red tape and regulatory burden, so you can concentrate on delivering results and services”.

Minister Pyne committed to a swift response to the Chaney Report and the development of “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.

There were clear messages about working in close collaboration with the sector, with peak bodies like English Australia set to play a key role in this consultative approach.

There was also an important focus on reviewing the mechanisms for students to be able to access migration opportunities, “this Government will also seek to reverse the broad public perception which emerged under Labor that somehow foreign students must be prevented from getting a student visa on the basis they might one day aspire to live permanently in our great country”.

English Australia Executive Director, Sue Blundell, joined other industry representatives on a "Post-Chaney" panel session held later in the conference, where she was able to articulate some of the ELICOS sector's key priorities to representatives from the Department of Education who were present along with other conference delegates.

Click here to view the full transcript of the Minister's speech.

Click here to view an ABC News story on the speech and the international education industry.