INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Ms FOX (Bright) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. How are international student enrolments faring during the current global financial crisis?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:43): South Australia's international education industry continues to defy the international economic downturn, with a record 24 per cent jump in overseas student enrolments in the first three months of the year. This is higher than the national average increase in international student enrolments of 20.8 per cent. The 24 per cent hike has been our strongest growth rate in seven years and, if it continues, we are on target to attract a record 32,000 international students by the end of the year. The international education industry is South Australia's fourth largest export industry and contributed about $740 million to the state's economy in the 2007-08 year.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge South Australia's university and training providers for the highly professional international office marketing and recruitment programs that have been responsible for this growth.

As part of the state budget, the state government is also providing $500,000 for primary and high school fees to be waived for dependants of international higher degree by research students studying at all South Australian universities. This is a positive initiative, which will rectify the disadvantage we have faced against other states offering fee waivers. It means that we will be in a position of parity with our major interstate competitors and it will provide an opportunity to expand our research and innovation base. The fee waiver applies only to higher degree by research students who are sponsored by scholarships from their home countries.

The scheme, to be funded over four years, will boost university efforts to attract the best and brightest students from countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates. The figures released by Australian Education International are firm evidence that our state is well positioned through our University City Project and our Education Adelaide marketing arm to further improve our position in the international student market. In addition, with the fee waiver I expect the interest in studying in South Australia to continue to grow in the vitally important higher degree by research segment.

I would like to add that this segment is crucially important in boosting the international rankings of our three universities. The more research we can have done by higher degree students in our South Australian universities the higher our ranking in comparison with universities internationally and the more attractive Adelaide is as a destination for overseas students.