Ministerial Statement

International Student Caps

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:08): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: International education delivers significant benefits to South Australia. In 2023, international education was South Australia's largest export sector, valued at $3.15 billion. This economic contribution, while significant to the state, does not capture other equally important aspects of international education, such as attracting highly talented students to our classrooms, strengthening global linkages at the academic and personal levels, creating a graduate workforce for businesses in Australia, and a network of alumni with a shared understanding of Australia's values and perspective.

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) legislative framework has contributed to South Australia's reputation as a compelling destination for students to undertake high-quality study, where students' rights are protected. Ensuring the ESOS Act is fit for purpose in the ever-evolving international environment safeguards the quality and integrity of the international education sector in Australia and its sustainability into the future.

The Malinauskas government has supported the proposed amendments to the ESOS Act that strengthen the integrity and quality of the international education sector, but has been highly concerned with the proposal to limit the enrolments of overseas students by provider, course or location. South Australia has not experienced the same level of growth in international enrolments as in other capital cities, particularly Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and has capacity in student accommodation to allow for growth.

The Premier and I have strongly advocated to the commonwealth government on the need to treat South Australia differently to the Eastern States when considering the number of international students that can be enrolled by international education providers in South Australia, and particularly our universities.

This morning the commonwealth government announced, subject to the passage of the proposed amendments to the ESOS Act currently before parliament, a new national planning level for international commencements of 270,000 for the calendar year 2025, consisting of approximately 145,000 new international student commencements for publicly funded universities, 30,000 for other universities and non-university higher education providers, and 95,000 for new VET international student commencements. Individual limits have been outlined in an international student profile (ISP) for each publicly funded university.

I am very pleased to report today that, based on the strong advocacy of the Malinauskas government, the commonwealth government has listened to our concerns and recognised that there is capacity for sustained growth of international students in South Australia. The three public universities in SA will see a moderate increase of international student commencements on 2023 figures, which was a bumper year for international students. This is reflected in the indicative ISPs provided this morning to South Australian universities.

While the government remains vigilant about the impacts of policy changes in Home Affairs and the commonwealth Department of Education on the international student market, we welcome the response to our collective advocacy that South Australia be regarded as a place that welcomes international students and provides high-quality education and research opportunities.

The new Adelaide University has signalled the growth of international students as a significant factor underpinning its domestic and international ambition. The Malinauskas government strongly supports this ambition for growth in international students at Adelaide University as well as at Flinders University.