A project led by the business community has put forward a strategy to grow the ACT’s second-largest export industry.
A wide-ranging strategy for international education in Canberra, which was put together through collaboration between the Canberra Business Council and key players in Canberra’s tertiary education industry, is now being discussed with the ACT Government. The strategy has identified a range of possible initiatives to ensure the sustainable growth of the second-largest source of the ACT’s export income.
The ACT Education Services Export Strategy report was commissioned to advise the Council, the Government and other stakeholders about the contribution that almost 10,000 international students make to the ACT each year – around $260 million in 2008–09 plus the social and cultural benefits – and what might be done to enhance that contribution.
“Our education institutions have been very successful in their marketing, recruiting and international engagement strategies, even in recent more hard-pressed times,” said Canberra Business Council CEO, Chris Faulks.
“But our strategy is about what we call the ‘additionality dimension’ – doing what institutions wouldn’t otherwise do on their own, or what the market wouldn’t provide in response to market signals.”
“It’s about getting our education institutions, government and business to work together to realise our proposed statement of ambition: that Canberra exceeds student expectations and is recognised as Australia’s education capital.”
Four complementary approaches have been recommended to achieve that ambition: building collaboration and capacity, improving the student experience, creating a brand for Canberra as Australia’s education capital, and strengthening infrastructure and support.
The first and high-level task of a proposed education exports task force would be to bring cohesion to approaches by all parties to supplying international students with high-quality education, welfare and socio-cultural experiences.
That would mean bringing representatives of all those parties – existing providers, government agencies, business, diplomatic missions, alumni of education institutions, the broader community – into a coordinating forum to work to a five-year strategic plan, annual business plans and an evaluation framework to guide and prove the worth of cohesive and concerted action.
“The success of the strategy will be largely determined by the level of collaboration between the local business community, the ACT Government and our education institutions,” Chris Faulks said.
It has been increasingly acknowledged that a student’s experience of their host community can be as important to them as the quality of education they receive.
So the second component of the proposed Education Services Export Strategy aims to complement existing university, college and school initiatives with broader coordinated ways of welcoming and engaging international students.
In concrete terms, this may manifest in forms such as a Canberra ‘survival guide’ in hard copy and online to answer everyday-life questions; a program of student involvement in community cultural and social activities, music and sporting events; and a program of industry internships and other work experience that builds on the ACT Government’s successful 2009 StudentConnect pilot program.
Given the brand-driven nature of contemporary youth culture, Canberra’s lack of a brand as an international education destination is seen by some as a major weakness. Other Australian capitals have put in place international education marketing capabilities, some supported or run by government, some by education/government/business collaborations.
The third export strategy, then, is to develop a Canberra brand, a consistent and attractive marketing message to lift the ACT’s education and training profile internationally as Australia’s education capital.
Initiatives under a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy might include overseas delegations, education agent training, student exchanges in targeted markets, and capability statements in the ACT’s strong education, industry and research sectors. A web portal would underpin it all, focusing on the Canberra’s main attributes as a knowledge economy, a centre of innovation, and a safe, diverse regional hub with an excellent quality of life.
Finally, the Export Strategy recognises the importance of ensuring Canberra’s infrastructure and services meet international student needs. The priorities would be accommodation, security and safety, and access to community services.
The Strategy sees the ACT Government’s role as providing leadership and support in key areas, particularly in promoting and positioning Canberra as a place to study and the unique benefits that flow from off-campus life.
The Strategy provide a medium to long term pathway to support the development of the education services sector in the ACT and it will provide an important framework between the sector and government over the few months as the discussion moves to implementation activities.
New strategies to benefit the ACT and its international students
A project led by the business community has put forward a strategy to grow the ACT’s second-largest export industry.
A wide-ranging strategy for international education in Canberra, which was put together through collaboration between the Canberra Business Council and key players in Canberra’s tertiary education industry, is now being discussed with the ACT Government. The strategy has identified a range of possible initiatives to ensure the sustainable growth of the second-largest source of the ACT’s export income.
The ACT Education Services Export Strategy report was commissioned to advise the Council, the Government and other stakeholders about the contribution that almost 10,000 international students make to the ACT each year – around $260 million in 2008–09 plus the social and cultural benefits – and what might be done to enhance that contribution.
“Our education institutions have been very successful in their marketing, recruiting and international engagement strategies, even in recent more hard-pressed times,” said Canberra Business Council CEO, Chris Faulks.
“But our strategy is about what we call the ‘additionality dimension’ – doing what institutions wouldn’t otherwise do on their own, or what the market wouldn’t provide in response to market signals.”
“It’s about getting our education institutions, government and business to work together to realise our proposed statement of ambition: that Canberra exceeds student expectations and is recognised as Australia’s education capital.”
Four complementary approaches have been recommended to achieve that ambition: building collaboration and capacity, improving the student experience, creating a brand for Canberra as Australia’s education capital, and strengthening infrastructure and support.
The first and high-level task of a proposed education exports task force would be to bring cohesion to approaches by all parties to supplying international students with high-quality education, welfare and socio-cultural experiences.
That would mean bringing representatives of all those parties – existing providers, government agencies, business, diplomatic missions, alumni of education institutions, the broader community – into a coordinating forum to work to a five-year strategic plan, annual business plans and an evaluation framework to guide and prove the worth of cohesive and concerted action.
“The success of the strategy will be largely determined by the level of collaboration between the local business community, the ACT Government and our education institutions,” Chris Faulks said.
It has been increasingly acknowledged that a student’s experience of their host community can be as important to them as the quality of education they receive.
So the second component of the proposed Education Services Export Strategy aims to complement existing university, college and school initiatives with broader coordinated ways of welcoming and engaging international students.
In concrete terms, this may manifest in forms such as a Canberra ‘survival guide’ in hard copy and online to answer everyday-life questions; a program of student involvement in community cultural and social activities, music and sporting events; and a program of industry internships and other work experience that builds on the ACT Government’s successful 2009 StudentConnect pilot program.
Given the brand-driven nature of contemporary youth culture, Canberra’s lack of a brand as an international education destination is seen by some as a major weakness. Other Australian capitals have put in place international education marketing capabilities, some supported or run by government, some by education/government/business collaborations.
The third export strategy, then, is to develop a Canberra brand, a consistent and attractive marketing message to lift the ACT’s education and training profile internationally as Australia’s education capital.
Initiatives under a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy might include overseas delegations, education agent training, student exchanges in targeted markets, and capability statements in the ACT’s strong education, industry and research sectors. A web portal would underpin it all, focusing on the Canberra’s main attributes as a knowledge economy, a centre of innovation, and a safe, diverse regional hub with an excellent quality of life.
Finally, the Export Strategy recognises the importance of ensuring Canberra’s infrastructure and services meet international student needs. The priorities would be accommodation, security and safety, and access to community services.
The Strategy sees the ACT Government’s role as providing leadership and support in key areas, particularly in promoting and positioning Canberra as a place to study and the unique benefits that flow from off-campus life.
The Strategy provide a medium to long term pathway to support the development of the education services sector in the ACT and it will provide an important framework between the sector and government over the few months as the discussion moves to implementation activities.