Group of Eight unis question value of more online education in driving recovery
By Lisa Visentin April 1, 2021 — 1.26pm https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/universities-to-consider-push-into-online-learning-under-new-international-education-strategy-20210401-p57fs2.html? The nation’s leading research universities have played down calls to ramp up their presence in the crowded field of online education, saying studying in Australia is the main drawcard for many international students. Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said the coronavirus pandemic had given universities a “proof of concept” that online course delivery was possible, but questioned whether this model would play a significant role in the sector’s long-term recovery post-pandemic. “We are delivering largely online to our international students now. We’ve got 30,000 students studying offshore. We do want to diversify our market, but the attraction for many students is that they can come to Australia and study, not that they will continue to study in their home countries,” Ms Thomson said. The capacity and willingness of universities to invest more heavily in online education will be a key focus in the development of a new 10-year strategy for the $30 billion-plus international education sector aimed at driving its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. In a speech this week calling for a major rethink of the strategy, federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said the sector should take advantage of the boom in online learning to tap into new markets of students who could not afford to study full-time in Australia. Universities Australia, which represents the country’s 39 universities, believes a hybrid model, where students complete some learning on campus, has merit. “These rich hybrid-models present Australian and international students with new opportunities. They also present a competitive edge for our sector,” UA chief executive Catriona Jackson said. UA has estimated about 17,300 jobs were shed from Australian campuses in 2020, with the loss of international student fee revenue due to coronavirus restrictions the major cause of budget pressures. Chinese and Indian students account for 55 per cent of all international student enrolments across Australia’s education system. Mr Tudge this week nominated Indonesia and India as key markets that had booming demand for tertiary studies but lacked the in-country capacity to train them. Indonesia has set a target of an extra 57 million skilled workers by 2030 and India has a goal of training more than 400 million people by 2022. Dr Eugene Sebastian, director of The Australia-Indonesia Centre at Monash University, said Australian providers had a big role to play in meeting demand in Indonesia. “There will be a segment of the Indonesian market that can’t afford to study overseas but will look for affordable alternatives,” Dr Sebastian said. “There are a growing number of local and foreign EdTech companies in Indonesia. It points to not only Indonesia’s potential as a market but also the potential for Australian providers to partner with emerging Indonesian EdTech firms to add an online component to their offering.” Dr Sebastian said Indonesia’s internet user base was 150 million people, making it the largest and fastest-growing digital economy in south-east Asia, but slow connectivity speeds remained a significant barrier to access for many Indonesian students. He said universities would be more competitive in the online learning space by offering a hybrid model. “Students want more foreign institutional engagement. They want more face-time interaction with lecturers. Many want more work-ready skills through connecting to industry, internships or short-term study abroad experience,” Dr Sebastian said. _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] https://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
