Australia is set to increase international student places by 25,000 next year, a move that appears to contradict pre-election promises from both major parties to cap foreign student numbers. The federal government, which had previously proposed a cap, announced the increase last week, while the opposition has indicated it will adopt a more “sensitive approach” to the issue.
Last year, Universities Australia accused both sides of parliament of using the tertiary sector as a “political plaything” amid heated debate over international student numbers. The surge in places raises questions about whether the election campaign rhetoric was merely hot air and whether the cap will ever be revived.
The decision marks a significant backflip from the government’s earlier stance, which had sought to limit foreign student entries. The opposition’s shift towards a softer approach suggests that the contentious debate over higher education may be cooling, at least for now.
