Over the past two decades, Australian universities have been lucky. Every time something has threatened their prosperity, a new opportunity has arisen.
When the Australian government reformed international student visas in 2009, the uncapping of domestic student places cushioned any blow.
And when the Australian government effectively reintroduced caps in 2017, the international student market was experiencing blistering growth.
As a result, total university revenue has grown in real terms by 42 per cent between 2008 and 2018. Enrolments have also increased by 46 per cent over the same period.
That luck has run out with the coronavirus pandemic
Over 170,000 international student visa holders are stuck outside Australia, unable to enter because of travel bans. Unlike other sectors such as retail and hospitality, for the international education sector the worst of the pandemic is yet…
