Stephanie Fahey, who will take up the role in mid-February, was deputy vice-chancellor (international) at Monash University before her current position as lead partner for education at Ernst & Young.

“Ms Fahey’s wealth of experience will bring an even sharper focus to Austrade’s support for our international education sector”

Fahey has also led a research institute at the University of Sydney and is currently chair of the NSW International Advisory Board as well as serving on the European Australian Business Council, and the boards of Canberra Institute of Technology and The Asia Foundation (Global Board).

Fahey will be the first woman to serve as Austrade CEO.

Looking ahead to her new role, Fahey said she will work closely with universities to foster innovation and internationalisation of the higher education sector.

“I’ve been on the client side of Austrade, so I am very familiar with the contribution they make,” she told The Australian.

Fahey added that she is keen to capitalise on the huge demand for Australian education overseas, especially in the vocation education sector.

“We are not just looking at onshore, where we have half a million students, but also providers delivering training offshore, particularly vocational education,” she told the newspaper.

“Around our region there is huge demand for skills training in Indonesia, India and so on. We need to do it in a way that is affordable for the region.”

Offshore delivery of Australian higher and vocational education is a growing segment of the market, contributing some A$450m to export revenues in 2015/16.

Rod Camm, CEO of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, welcomed Fahey’s appointment.

“Having worked in universities, dual sector institutions and also as the chair of the board of a Registered Training Organisation, she has the all-round exposure to the issues of relevance to our members,” he added.

She has also served on the Foreign Affairs Council, the Australia Korea Foundation, and a subcommittee of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.

Announcing the appointment, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo said Fahey “brings a wealth of international trade and investment experience”.

He also thanked the incumbent CEO, Bruce Gosper, saying: “Under Mr Gosper’s leadership Austrade has played an expanded role in advancing Australia’s trade, tourism, investment and international education interests.”