“We can give foreign students the support and schooling they need to be successful in life, as well as the skills to secure work and build a bright future”

“We want to hear from training providers, universities, schools, peak industry bodies and the community about how we can revitalise the sector to attract even more international students to Queensland,” acting Education, Training and Employment Minister Ian Walker said.

The consultation will be carried out by the International Education and Training Advisory Council – Queensland (IETAC-Q), which was established earlier this year to “ensure that the vital international education and training industry is responsive, robust and sustainable,” Walker said.

Its members represent the four key education sectors in the region: schools, higher education, vocational education and training and English Language Intensive Courses.

The public consultation forms part of a strategy to help Queensland fulfil its commitment to enhance international education, laid out in the state government’s reform action plan for further education and training.

“Promoting Queensland training and education products and services internationally is an investment in the state’s future growth,” the plan states.

“Strategies that encourage onshore and offshore participation in further education and training can also benefit the schooling and tertiary education sectors,” it continues.

These students bring around $4 billion in ‘non-course’ expenditure into the state capital ever year

Walker said that Queensland should aim to become Australia’s top foreign student destination. Its capital city, Brisbane, is the country’s third most popular destination, with at least 55,000 international enrolments on higher education, vocational and English language courses – around 85% of the state’s total.

These students bring around $4 billion in ‘non-course’ expenditure into the state capital ever year, spending an average of $42,531 per annum while studying in Australia, according to Federal Government’s State of the Cities Report, which was published late last year.

“We can give foreign students the support and schooling they need to be successful in life, as well as the skills to secure work and build a bright future in Queensland and around the world,” Walker added.

Members of the pubic have been invited to contribute by attending one of seven community forums that will be held across Queensland this month, or by submitting a written response by email, post or fax.

IETAC-Q will produce an initial report based on the results of the consultation in mid-2014.