Council for International Education

The Council for International Education (the Council) held its fourth meeting on Thursday 5 December 2019 at Parliament House.

The Council provides an annual report to the Prime Minister:

• the 2019 Report to the Prime Minister​ is the 2019 progress report to the Prime Minister, focussing on the third year of the Council and the National Strategy.​
• the 2018 Report to the Prime Minister (docx) is the 2018 progress report to the Prime Minister, focussing on the second year of the Council and the National Strategy.
• Sustaining Growth and Exellence in Australian International Education (docx) is the 2017 progress report to the Prime Minister, focussing on the first year of the Council and the National Strategy.

 The Council supports the implementation of the National Strategy for International Education 2025 (The National Strategy) and the Australian International Education 2025 market development roadmap. Council membership consists of experienced international education experts and practitioners and Australian Government ministers with portfolio responsibilities in international education.

​The Council's implementation of the National Strategy is supported by an annual alloction of $3 million thorugh the Enabling Growth and Innovation Program​.

Council membership
Ministerial members

• The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Education (Chair)
• The Hon Marise Payne MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
• The Hon Alan Tudge MP​, Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs
• Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
• The Hon Karen Andrews MP, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology

Expert members

• The Hon Phil Honeywood – CEO, International Education Association of Australia (Convener)
• Professor Helen Bartlett – Vice Chancellor, Federation University
• Professor Linda Kristjanson AO
  
• Professor Heather Cavanagh - Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Engagement, Charles Sturt University
• Professor Michael Wesley – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International), The University of Melbourne
• Belle Lim – President, Council of International Students Australia
• Malcolm Baigent – Executive General Manager, University Partnerships Australasia, Navitas
• Janelle Chapman – Executive Director, TAFE Queensland International
• Karyn Kent – CEO, StudyAdelaide
• Kathleen Newcombe - CEO, Sarina Russo Group of Companies
• Derek Scott – Principal and CEO, Haileybury

Learn more about the Expert Members.

Communiques

Read the communiques from meetings of the Council for International Education here. 

Global Reputation Taskforce

Growing International Education in Regional Australia

The Expert Members of the Council for International Education sought stakeholder input on Growing International Education in Regional Australia and undertook a series of target roundtables in regional education destinations.  The Expert Members' formal advice, and the Australian Government response have now been published.

Working Groups

Expert members established Working Groups to take forward work in priority areas.

Completed Working Groups 

• Student Service Delivery
• The Student Services Delivery Working Group (SSDWG) — over a period of six months the SSDWG focussed on workplace exploitation, student accommodation, pre-departure information, employability, and communicating the benefits of international education to the community.  In August 2018 the working group provided the Expert Members with a report, Outcomes of issues considered by the SSDWG.
• Marketing and Collaboration
• The Marketing and Collaboration Working Group developed a framework – The Collaborative Marketing Framework – to better facilitate co-operation between states and territories, and between providers, in markets where a unified front is required, while not stifling healthy competition in established markets
• Latin America
• The Latin America Working Group undertook an extensive consultation process with education providers, Australian businesses, Latin-American students and many more. They delivered a comprehensive report An Educated Choice - expanding Australia's education, training and research engagement with Latin America November 2018 on how Australia could increase its engagement with this important region. The report was endorsed for public release by Ministerial Members of the Council for International Education at 29 November 2018 meeting.
• India-Australia Reference Group
• In order to maintain momentum in delivering the Government’s commitments under the India Economic Strategy, the Council for International Education commissioned the India Reference Group to identify the priorities for sector engagement in India. The Group’s report Positioning for deeper engagement: a plan of action in India has provided a suite of recommendations that, over three years, would help position Australian education providers' development in the Indian landscape.
• China Working Group
• The Council for International Education formed the China Working Group to assess the Australia-China education relationship and to develop strategies to secure Australia’s position as an ongoing international education partner of choice for China. The China Working Group developed the report The Australia-China Education Relationship: Diversity. Complexity and Maturity which provided recommendations that aim at elevating the education relationship and promoting greater sharing of education policies and information. The report was endorsed for public release by Ministerial Members of the Council for International Education at the 5 December 2019 meeting.  

You can view the membership of the working groups here.

The National Strategy for International Education

Australia’s first National Strategy for International Education 2025 enables Australia’s international education sector to be more innovative, future-focused and globally engaged.

It further strengthens our international reputation for high quality education and training, drives collaboration in education and research, and increases opportunities for Australian providers and communities.

The National Strategy is based on three broad pillars:

• strengthening the fundamentals of Australia’s education, training and research system and our regulatory, quality assurance and consumer protection arrangements
• transformative partnerships between people, institutions and governments, at home and abroad
• competing globally by responding to global education and skills needs and taking advantage of emerging opportunities.

To view the National Strategy, visit nsie.education.gov.au.

Complementing the National Strategy, the Australian International Education 2025 (AIE2025) market development roadmap will position Australia to capitalise on new opportunities and markets over the next decade.

The Australia Global Alumni Engagement Strategy will strengthen the relationships with our alumni to grow our diplomatic, trade and investment links.

The National Strategy also aligns with the National Innovation and Science Agenda, which aims to further enhance Australia’s global reputation as a leader in research and education into the future.

The Council for International Education held its first meeting on Wednesday 23 November 2016 at Parliament House.