Recent years have been difficult for the university sector. Even so, with guidance from Austrade's local and in-country experts, the Australian National University (ANU) has been able to identify and reach a new cohort of international students.
Professor Sally Wheeler OBE MRIA FAcSS, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Strategy), Dean and Robert Garran Professor of Law, Australian National University explains.
A new approach in challenging times
'The university has never had to make the kinds of choices it's had to make in the last two years,' says Professor Wheeler.
Even before the shocks of the pandemic, the ANU recognised it needed to reach a more diverse international student base. Diversity is important for ongoing sustainability. More than that, it is part of the university's mandate to attract the best students from all regions. That helps to create the best learning environment.
Bringing together students from across the world can also have long-term benefits. Part of Australia's appeal as a study destination is the potential to work on solving shared environmental and economic challenges.
For many international students, an Australian education becomes the foundation for strong and enduring personal and professional connections.
'We believe many of these students will be big players in their countries' futures,' says Professor Wheeler.
Reaching new markets means a new way of thinking
Before the pandemic, the ANU had a research presence in Asia and the US, and no internationally based recruitment staff. When the university began exploring ways of reaching new markets, it needed help to identify potential opportunities and understand how to access them.
'Austrade's in-country reports gave us confidence to think there was a market in the Gulf region. They also helped us understand other potential markets, including Scandinavia and Kazakhstan,' explains Professor Wheeler.
'The reports were very thorough. In some cases, they confirmed what we'd thought. In others, they provided much more data than we'd had access to and really challenged our assumptions. Austrade was able to bring to our attention lots we didn't know and hadn't realised we needed to know.'
Positioning Australia as a study destination
Australian universities face significant competition from international institutions. Countries may have stronger regional connections to UK and US universities. Those universities may also be priced more competitively.
For the ANU, reaching new markets involves a long-term and strategic program to build reputation and generate interest.
'This really was about taking a nuanced approach and shaping our positioning carefully,' says Professor Wheeler. 'Austrade was able to help us reference Australia's perspective more broadly.'
That included facilitating access to diplomats and cultural attaches. It also included providing an opportunity to present to the world at Dubai Expo2020.
Eyes on a bright future
The ANU now has an in-country representative in the Gulf region. A representative in the UK is engaging with the European market. They are also exploring opportunities in Central Asia and Scandinavia. The university is working on tailored approaches to engage and support students from different countries based on their different needs.
There are ongoing challenges for students in accessing Australia. However, the university has seen applications increase by 31% from pre-pandemic 2019 to mid-pandemic 2021.
Applicants are particularly interested in degrees in commerce, computing and modern engineering. In good news for the future of women in STEM, the university is seeing numbers of women applying to these degrees, including from the Gulf region.
'These women demonstrate strong leadership and influencing capacity. We are offering programs to encourage their development,' says Professor Wheeler.
Strong relationships are key
Both ANU and Austrade say the strong relationships built between the two organisations have been central to the project's success.
'Universities are innovative and complex organisations, so being able to work closely and directly with senior leadership at the ANU was essential,' notes Tim Beresford, Deputy CEO, Global Client Services, Austrade.
From the ANU perspective: 'Having a strong point of connection in Austrade opened lots of doors.'
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