The Territory Labor Government is accelerating efforts to attract international students as a key part of diversifying the Territory economy and creating local permanent jobs.
There are over 3300 international students studying in the NT with the industry contributing an estimated $113 million in export revenue and supporting 484 ongoing jobs.
Current Australian Government figures show the number of international students enrolled in Territory education institutions grew by 25 per cent between October 2018 and October 2019, and has grown by 62 per cent in the last four years, seeing an increase of 1270 international students.
The rise comes after the Territory Labor Government released its 2019 seven year International Education and Training Strategy - in a concentrated effort to boost the 2600 students studying in the NT in 2018 to 10,000 by 2025, bringing more than $300 million in to the NT economy.
As part of the strategy, trade delegations have been led to India, Nepal and Indonesia to build relationships with those countries and promote the benefits of studying in the NT, these efforts will also continue in 2020. Applications for international students to become StudyNT Student Ambassadors are now open; further growing and promoting the Territory.
Future students will also see the Territory as an enticing place to live, study and work with Charles Darwin University one step closer to opening a Darwin CBD campus, attracting more than 11,000 students, 1000 of which will be international, while also creating 600 ongoing jobs.
The international student sector was worth $32 billion in 2018 to the Australian economy and analysis undertaken by Deloitte in 2019 shows each student contributes an average $40,693 to the economy each year.
Quotes attributed to Chief Minister Michael Gunner:
"Attracting international students to the Territory to study not only supports permanent local jobs in the education sector, but across the wide variety of sectors, from hospitality and tourism to our service industries, which is good for the Territory economy as a whole.
"Currently there are 3300 international students studying in the NT with the industry contributing an estimated $113 million in export revenue and supporting 484 ongoing jobs.
"The Territory provides high quality education for everyone who studies here. In return, International students strengthen cultural, social and economic ties, and contribute to creating vibrant economic, social and cultural precincts."
Quotes attributed to Treasurer Nicole Manison:
"The Territory Labor Government's number one priority is jobs for Territorians.
"The 600 extra international students in the past year have contributed millions more dollars to the Territory economy, so it is important the upward growth trend continues.
"Additionally, the new Charles Darwin University campus in the Darwin CBD, part of the historic $200 million bilateral City Deal, will make university study here even more attractive."
