Many Australian universities rely on international students as a major part of their revenue, with that crucial stream abruptly cut off by the pandemic and subsequent border closures. The international education sector brought $37.5 billion to the Australian economy between 2019 and 2020, with China accounting for a staggering $10.5 billion of that figure.
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has sparked hopes that international student levels could soon be on the rise, but unsettling reports coming out of China indicate Chinese students may not be among those rushing back to our universities. Reports surfaced earlier this week that Chinese agencies were being encouraged by local authorities not to recommend Australia as an international study option to students, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
