Australia

Policy stability, global competitiveness and a renewed push to articulate the value of international students top the agenda for Australia’s international education sector in the year ahead.

From election outcomes and visa hikes to reform milestones and sector soul-searching, these are the stories that sum up the year for Australia's international education sector.

Charles Sturt University is set to establish its first-ever international campus in Sri Lanka, the island nation where around 160,000 students become “university ready” each year.

While Australian politician Julian Hill praised the rise of high-quality Indian students in his country, he also highlighted issues with agent practices and fraudulent documents at an AAERI event in India.

The University of New South Wales, a founding member of the Go8, received the Letter of Intent (LOI) at the third Australia-India Education and Skills Council meeting in New Delhi.

Osaka-based Samty Holdings has acquired a majority stake in Unilodge in a deal reportedly worth AUD$600 million (over £300m), adding much-needed supply to a sector facing high costs and long waitlists for students, especially internationals.

With Australia's controversial international education integrity Bill passed, the government says it now has stronger tools to crack down on “unscrupulous” operators in the sector.

On the final sitting day of the year, Australia's controversial integrity Bill cleared the Senate with a series of amendments, leaving only routine steps before it can become law.

In Australia, the Senate Committee has backed the government’s education reform Bill, despite ongoing concerns over agent definitions and expanded ministerial powers.

This week, The PIE spent five minutes with Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) to explore the career journey that brought him to the helm of the organisation – and why he believes Australia’s international education sector is in need of a PR campaign.

Stakeholders and industry groups have lodged their submissions to the Senate committee examining the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025.

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued a warning about emerging risks to the country’s student visa program, citing cases of applicants using fraudulent passports and growing integrity concerns linked to activity in South Asian markets.

Australia is set to introduce a new student visa processing directive, in line with the government’s ongoing commitment to managed growth.

The Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI) has announced the launch of a new student document verification tool in an effort to combat fraud.

Australia has a new national peak body to represent and advocate for international students, following the launch of the International Students Representative Council of Australia.