Following the launch of Australia’s International Student Strategy, Hotcourses International has released its first destination country report on Australia. The latest report examines the current state of international recruitment in Australia and evaluates the feasibility of the strategy. It also identifies core subjects, countries and level of study for prospective students looking at Australia to inform the growth of diversification markets which are crucial to realising the International strategy.

In recent years, Australia has taken proactive and positive steps to reassert itself on the international stage for student recruitment. The high profile changes to student visas, followed more recently with the launch of the 10 year blueprint for the future of international education.

This new report follows hot on the heels of the blueprint, drawing on recent data spanning November 2014 – March 2016, and provides a unique and comprehensive examination on the current state of international demand for Australian higher education, drilling into key demographics such as country of origin, subject preferences and level of study. Eastern hemisphere, and South East Asian demand for Australia in particular provides a particular opportunity for universities to pursue.

The report also examines crucial differences and similarities between searches to Group of 8 universities (go8), compared to Australian higher education overall, including which countries are more likely to concentrate their searches to go8 institutions. There are also a number of in-depth dives into diversification markets, which are crucial to realising the 10 year blueprint such as Vietnam and Indonesia, offering detail on popular subjects and regions within the country where demand is strongest.

Understanding that engineering is the top searched for subject for students from India, business and management from Vietnam and health and medicine from prospective students from Brazil are examples of important levels of details which allow institutions to tailor and target their engagement and recruitment.

Aaron Porter, Director of Insights, Hotcourses and author of the report said: “This report provides the most in-depth, detailed and timely understanding of international student demand for Australia.

"In the context of changes to international student visas, and the recently published 10 year international education blueprint this report provides intelligence into current demand for Australian higher education, but crucially invaluable detail on core diversification markets such as Thailand, Vietnam and Brazil which will be essential if Australia is going to realise their stated ambition.

"According to our data we are already seeing an upward trend in demand and interest for Australia, which gives us optimism that the planned expansion to 720,000 international enrolments by 2025 in the government blueprint is a realistic target – however this will only be achieved with focussed and intelligent engagement with diversification markets.”

To read the report in full click here.