AEI: the Indian giver of market intelligence

Australian Education International, DEEWR’s international arm, has overlooked Australia’s second-largest, fastest growing and most sensitive international education market in the “market data snapshots” it produces on individual countries. AEI has produced 34 of the snapshots, designed to furnish stakeholders with “summary market-specific data and research information”, since the series began in October 2006. But none to date has been about India, even though other countries have attracted multiple snapshots. AEI has so far issued three snapshots each on China, Vietnam and Thailand, and two each on Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the Middle East. Snapshots have also been compiled on Norway, which has around 1500 enrolments in courses in Australia, not to mention Canada (4100), France (2700), Peru (1400), Chile (900) and Colombia (5700). There are over 80,000 Indian enrolments in Australia. There’s concern enrolments could nosedive next year following a dramatic decline in foot traffic through the offices of Indian-based agents. And several education fairs – considered to be a key recruitment mechanism – were cancelled in India in recent months following low attendances at a major fair. But AEI last month told Campus Review it wasn’t aware of education fairs in India being cancelled. AEI says its goal is to “provide leadership across all levels of government and industry to support the sustainable development of a world-class and globally connected international education and training system in Australia. We seek to achieve this through an integrated approach to policy, regulation, international engagement and promotion,” its website proclaims. “We do the research and analysis to give industry intelligence and advice on education markets around the world.” The market data snapshots include information from AEI’s international student data and local insights from the AEI international network, which comprises education counsellors located in more than 20 Australian diplomatic missions. Four of them are based in Chinese cities and two in Vietnam. India has just one, responsible not only for India but also the world’s sixth and seventh-largest countries – Pakistan and Bangladesh – as well as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. These six countries collectively account for almost a quarter of the world’s population. Of course, AEI provides much more than market data snapshots. Country education profiles and market information packages are available on a subscription basis. And AEI’s statistics service – particularly its pivot tables – makes comprehensive data available to web-surfers, both subscribers and freeloaders. “No one doubts the important work that AEI does. But it is a concern that at a time of unprecedented growth in VET enrolments, there is no publicly available data on India in AEI’s market snapshots,” Claire Field, general manager of the National Audit and Registration Agency, told a forum in Melbourne last week. CR sought a response from AEI. It declined to respond within our publication deadlines. But if AEI has dropped the ball on India, it’s not alone. John Pereira, chief executive of India Equities Fund, wrote in The Age last week that both countries generally took each other for granted. “Apart from our shared Commonwealth background and our mutual love of cricket, we do not really know each other that well,” he wrote. “We need a new, nationally led commitment to building the India relationship, with great outcomes for both countries. The door is open for closer ties because India has a clear ‘look east’ policy and we are part of that view. “Looking ahead, it is not difficult to see the Australia-India relationship taking on similar importance to the past 50 years with the US. If that sounds far-fetched, consider where India is heading. India is the world’s fourth-largest economy ranked by purchasing power parity and the second-fastest growing economy ranked by gross domestic product growth. “The World Bank predicts it will soon overtake China to be the world’s fastest growing economy. Australia has put much effort into the China relationship; logically we should also embrace India.” Education minister and deputy prime minister Julia Gillard is visiting New Delhi and Chennai between 30 August and 3 September, and plans to visit local educational institutions and people who’ve studied in Australia. She also plans to meet India’s human resource development minister Kapil Sibal and other officials. “The government is committed to taking its relationship with India to a higher level and engaging with India on a long-term, strategic basis,” she said.