Asian students – Overview

Previously we discussed the role of selective high schools and noted the proportion of students with Asian ethnicity, Asian students in those schools. Asians in general place a higher value on education than the average Australian family.

Australian universities are ranked far higher internationally than our schools. And this has created a situation of international students studying in Australia. International student numbers in Australia grew by 15 per cent year-on year in the first quarter of 2017, figures show… Overall, 30 per cent of the international students were from China (Grove, 2017, n. p.).

This growth in international students has created a curious dilemma. Whereby, the rapid expansion of international student mobility, according to Robertson et. al. (2011), that has led to a global auction which has produced a surplus of quality graduates and heralded a decreasing gap between graduate salaries an non-graduate wages. At the same time remuneration to executives and managers has increased twenty fold over the past fifteen years in Australia.

Benefits and costs to Australia

International students substantially fund Australian universities. These same students will compete with Australian graduates for employment in Australia after graduation.

Asian students are disproportionately represented in selective schools in NSW and similarly over represented in tuition centres. The two are not unrelated.

Again there are benefits and costs to Australia.

Firstly, many international graduates decide to stay and work in Australia. In our Health System and other professions, after having paid their own university education at inflated prices. Thus, they bring benefit to their profession and profit to our university system.

On the downside, critics argue that these graduates are taking Australian jobs and university positions. Universities argue that no Australian is denied university placement to accommodate an international student. Also Australian graduates compete on a better than equal footing when seeking graduate employment.

Asian students are strengthening our schooling system. And Asian students are adding to increased professionalism of the Australian workforce. They are able to do this because of a greater dedication to education. And because of the poor performance of the Australian school system.

See: The Weekender (Page 51)