Australia.TO International Edition - Local and World News(1)
Education Minister Liz Constable is to lead a delegation of vice-chancellors from four Perth universities to China to promote and profile the city as a location for high-quality higher education.
During next week’s visit, the delegation would meet key members of government, education officials and university representatives in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou.
The delegation would include:
· The University of Western Australia Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson.
· Curtin University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeanette Hacket.
· Edith Cowan Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kerry Cox.
· Murdoch University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gary Martin.
Dr Constable said that education was now Australia’s third biggest export earner behind coal and iron ore, outperforming wheat, wine and wool.
She said the education sector employed 126,000 people and, for every four overseas students to enter Australia, one job was created.
In Western Australia, more than 41,400 international students made a substantial contribution to the local economy, estimated to be approximately $1billion.
“While WA derives important outcomes from international education, for most of this decade the industry has been slow to take full advantage of the opportunities for growth in large and key areas of the present market,” the Minister said.
