VICTORIA continues to be the leading study destination for international students in Australia as new data reveals. Zoe Law has more.
Victoria is rising as an international education destination. Photo by Jimmy Tan, licensed under Creative Commons.
International students are coming to study in Victoria in record numbers as fresh statistics from the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training reveal more than 175,000 international students studied in Victoria in 2015, up from 160,000 the year before.
According to this new data, one third of all international students in Australia have chosen to study in Victoria thus cementing the state’s position as an international education destination.
Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert recently highlighted the growth of international education in Victoria at the 2016 Asia Pacific Association for International Education Annual Conference and Exhibition.
“Victoria is one of the greatest multicultural societies and we welcome people from all over the world,” Herbert said.
In its efforts to support international students adapt to life in Victoria, the State Government has helped establish and maintain initiatives such as the Study Melbourne Student Centre (SMSC) — an Australian-first institution providing professional services, emergency support, community resources and interperters on request for international students — and the Student Welcome Desk at Melbourne Airport, which greets new international students upon arrival in Melbourne.
International education is currently the largest services export in the state, generating more than more than 5.6 billion for the state economy and supporting more than 30,000 jobs.