Assessing the International Student Enrolment Strategies in Australian Universities

Abstract

Travel restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic cause a significant drop in international student enrolment. To cope with such drastic change, this study aims to assess the international student enrolment strategies in Australian universities during the pandemic. Using the critical theory as a theoretical framework, this case study first probed into the problems of the current international student enrolment strategies by taking power and discourses into consideration. The problems identified include the marginalisation of international students and hindrance in their empowerment. Then, this study proposed some future directions for international student enrolment in relation to international students' concerns and needs, alongside migration policies and workforce demands. The future directions include increasing their chances to be academically competitive and equip them to prepare for their future career. The findings can be useful for university management to devise better strategies to recruit and retain international students in the post-pandemic era.

Thailand, the forgotten market for international student recruitment? A qualitative study into the strategies of regional Australian universities

“…Therefore, this study proposes that regional universities should balance short-term gains in burgeoning markets with longer term sustainability efforts in emerging markets, drawing from the Han and Celly (2008) study on strategic ambidexterity. Over-reliance on "hot" markets can result in significant disruptions to student inflows, as demonstrated by COVID-19 and political tensions between China and Australia (Kwee, 2022). Thus, regional universities must adopt paradoxical strategies to ensure diversified future inflows from emerging markets such as Thailand.…”