International Education

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Can the minister share news on the latest international education statistics with the council?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his question and his ongoing interest in international education. As members would know, international education is a priority sector for South Australia, contributing significantly to jobs in our state. It is only just behind wine as our biggest export earner. In the year before we formed government, South Australia welcomed 35,733 international students to our state, with an estimated export value of $1.54 billion.

Since then, the Marshall Liberal government has invested heavily in the industry. We have increased annual funding to StudyAdelaide to $2.5 million. I have established a ministerial advisory council for international education, which has brought together industry and government to work on a strategic initiative to grow the state, including of course international education, with the International Education 2030 plan.

As I have shared with the council, the plan calls for the doubling of international students to 70,000 by 2030, which, of course, will contribute an estimated $3 billion to our economy and will employ up to 23,500 South Australians. This is an ambitious but achievable plan and I am happy to report to the council that we are well on our way.

The latest data shows that year to date enrolments to September have increased by 15.5 per cent to now be at 40,979 enrolments. Compared to the same time in 2018, I think that is up some 5,400 in the last 12 months. This is significantly above the national growth rate of 10.6 per cent and makes it the first time in our state's history that we have broken through the 40,000 mark for enrolments. Importantly, we are seeing growth in new and emerging markets, with enrolments significantly higher from India, Nepal, the Philippines, Brazil and Vietnam. This growth is cross-sector, with increased enrolments in higher education, VET and in schools.

The Marshall Liberal government has made no secret of our ambitious goal to reach 3 per cent growth in gross state product. To do this, we need to grow our state's priority industries, such as food and wine, agribusiness, health, medical, tourism, technology, defence, space and the creative industries. Importantly, by growing our international student numbers, we will have better access to a pipeline of talent to fill the current and future skills shortages.

Of course, international students make a significant contribution to South Australia through school fees, tourism, retail expenditure and growing our economy and creating jobs. These students also internationalise the education that our own sons and daughters receive while they gain their own valued Australian cultural experience. Today's news reinforces the Marshall Liberal government's commitment to this important sector, which strengthens the economy, culture and workforce for South Australia.