Increasing international student numbers outside metropolitan areas could be where the Australian education industry's growth potential lies.

The top curator of one of international education's most voluminous research databases is among this year's winners of the IEAA Excellence Awards.

Amid an eight-week election campaign followed by more than a week of counting and doubt over which party would form a government, Australian industry leaders say they are confident international education will remain buoyed by its recent upward trajectory.

Delegates at this year's CISA national conference have called for Australia's International Education Strategy to take a more student focused approach.

A new online guide for Australian employers has been released by IEAA, responding to concerns they are unaware of how best to engage and employ international students.

When striving to cultivate global citizens, HE stakeholders must rethink their responses to issues such as brain drain, the refugee crisis and the extent to which student mobility disproportionately benefits the elites of society, international education leaders urged.

Two bills updating the ESOS Act have been passed in Australia, promising to reduce administrative costs and enhance quality assurance. However, an amendment to rules on tuition fees paid in advance being placed in holding accounts did not pass.

The International Education Association of Australia has joined a coalition from the tourism, financial services, transport and agriculture industries to champion economic growth in Australia over the next 20 years. These sectors provide the best potential to expand economic wealth, says the coalition.