More culturally-appropriate support is needed to protect international students from sexual violence at Australian universities, a senate inquiry has heard. 

Universities Australia has welcomed the Universities Accord interim report, saying it "underscores the importance" of tertiary education in building a stronger Australia.

A criminal network operating in Australia allegedly employs migration and education agents to bring “non-genuine” students to the country, some of whom end up working in the sex industry, according to a leaked government review. 

Institutions and offshore agents have called for loopholes that allow Australian institutions to ‘poach’ international students to be closed.

Australian higher education is looking to the Universities Accord and a planned migration strategy to fully understand the government's strategy on international education following a budget that focused heavily on cost-of-living relief and the economy.

Australia's educational institutions welcomed almost 620,000 international students in 2022, an 8% rise on the previous year, but still considerably down on pre-pandemic figures. Yet, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows promising news on student arrivals.

Australia's retention of international students has fallen behind other countries, with 16% of international students gaining permanent residency. 

Universities Australia has welcomed Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’s four-day visit to China where he will seek to attract Chinese students to the state.