The launch of the second PIE Insider digest on leadership in international education explores the role of personal brand in the Australian and ASEAN sector.

Following on from the European digest that was launched in March 2023, the latest edition features an exclusive interview with Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia.

The report also contains a list of 50 voices either domiciled or operating in Australia or the wider ASEAN sector that we think offer an interesting commentary on the international education ecosystem.

The list includes a range of experienced leaders, rising stars, disrupters and policy makers who have something to say. The report is part of an increased focus on the region and preempts The PIE Live Australia conference taking place in Gold Coast this July.

In a time when audiences are increasingly searching for authenticity and reality-based content, the voice and platform of individuals is becoming an important factor in furthering organisational goals.

Like it or not, the reach and influence of individuals is often greater and more impactful than corporate communications. Social media channels such as LinkedIn now equal traditional platforms for thought leadership such as conferences or publications.

Sarah Todd, vice president global for Griffith University in Queensland, who is named in the list of 50 voices for Europe, took to social media, saying she was “very honoured” to be included in the list.

Former minister for tertiary education and training, Phil Honeywood, is only too familiar with the role personal brand and reputation plays in the political world and he gave a candid interview on the early influences he had in finding his voice.

However, he was quick to point out that the student voice is what matters the most in defining educational policy.

“You should try wherever possible to factor in the voice of the students”

Speaking in the digest, Honeywood explained, “The passion [I have] is because I’ve got incredible empathy for any young person who comes to Australia or any other study destination, based on my own life lived experience of having to go to a Japanese boy’s high school.

“[In practice] what that means is you should try wherever possible to factor in the voice of the students.

“At the moment we’ve got a fantastic MBA female student [representing the student views to government] and she was there at Parliament House in Canberra providing all of the senior civil servants at the meeting and the politicians with the latest feedback about the mental crisis, the truth about some of the issues that are going to be happening to students coming off uncapped work rights and giving firsthand knowledge of the issues that she’s dealing with at the coalface with her international student movements,” continued Honeywood.

The timing of the digest’s release is part of the build up to The PIE Live Australia, an inaugural leadership conference in that region of the world, taking place in Australia between July 24-25, 2023 in Queensland. Nicholas Cuthbert, director of insight at The PIE will be hosting several panels and he spoke about the benefit of sharing knowledge between markets.

“From the interview with Phil Honeywood to prepping for my panel sessions, I am already benefiting from new perspectives from down under,” said Cuthbert. “The aim is to talk about the global sector but with a regional focus and I know many leaders in the sector will benefit from these debates.”

Readers can download The PIE Insider Leadership digest and 50 voices for 2023 – Australia and ASEAN here.

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Higher education leaders are calling for a science and research “rebalance” to supercharge global scholarship and create a research ecosystem that doesn’t disadvantage Africa and the Global South.

The Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations, facilitated by the Perivoli Africa Research Centre at the University of Bristol in partnership with the University of Cape Town and the University of South Africa, is seeking to put Africa in its “rightful role in research alliances”.

The new initiative, being launched at the Association of African Universities conference on July 5 in Namibia, is aiming “to redress entrenched power imbalances in global knowledge production”.

Imbalances have historically been the cause of “huge gaps” between scholars in Europe, North America and Australia, and their African counterparts, the group leading the charter said.

Higher education stakeholders are being asked to sign up to the charter, which organisers say offers a chance to “take seriously and resolve important critiques and constructive suggestions on how to build a better humanity, through truly equitable research collaborations”.

“The charter brings the global epistemological, ontological and human dignity projects together, building on an intersectionality of critiques (decolonial, feminist, indigenous, LGBTQIA++, amongst others), to offer humanity a unique opportunity to place collective research and a truly communal science at the core of advancing human dignity, world-making and futures creation,” director of the Institute for Humanities in Africa at the University of Cape Town, Divine Fuh, said.

“Launching the charter is just the start of a long and exciting journey towards balancing the global science and research ecosystem.”

The charter will also introduce an Africa-centred framework “setting out guiding principles and measures of success and accountability”.

“This is a radical charter and moment in history where a broad range of African people get to have agency to determine their own futures at all levels,” added Puleng Lenkabula, principal and vice chancellor of the University of South Africa.

“In this way, Africa’s agency will be fully recognised, reinforced and protected for achieving the envisioned Afrofutures.”

Pro vice-chancellor (Global Engagement) at University of Bristol, Agnes Nairn, recently wrote in The PIE that the continent is systemically excluded from research. Very few highly-cited scholars are affiliated with African universities, no universities in Africa feature in the top 200 QS universities and most of the continent only accounts for 1.6% of global scientific publications, she reminded.

“We will tackle pressing global challenges including climate change, pandemics and poverty more effectively if Africa takes a more prominent role in global transdisciplinary research,” she said in a statement on the launch of the charter.

For Perivoli chair in Africa Research and Partnerships at the University of Bristol, Isabella Aboderin, the charter signifies an “essential movement” seeking to to rebalance the entire global research ecosystem.

“The end goal is unashamedly ambitious, but the initiative recognises Global North-Africa research collaborations as a vital and viable entry point to help achieve this comprehensive shift.

“The scale of our journey will be all-encompassing and at times complex, changing mindsets, shared norms, resourcing, and policies. But the core ethos is simple and clear: the Global North must cede influence and space so Africa can take the wheel.”

“This is a matter of social justice and a matter of fostering the richer science that the global community urgently needs”

Charter signatories will co-create and further develop a comprehensive plan to achieve core objectives in coming months, while UNISA, UCT and UoB will provide stewardship and coordination.

It is important that collaboration comes from within and outside of the continent, Aboderin noted.

“Key partners are already on board and committed to playing a part, and we hope to engage more with time. However, we will require dedicated funding. The absence of such will certainly slow down the initiative, but not thwart it,” she told The PIE in a statement.

“We can no longer ignore the need for a fundamental rebalancing of the global science and research ecosystem, to ensure that scholars, institutions and knowledges from the continent take their rightful place in the global scientific effort.

“This is a matter of social justice and a matter of fostering the richer science that the global community urgently needs to properly sustain human dignity and address the multiple crises we face i.e. the rebalancing will benefit Africa and it will benefit the world.

“We must understand Africa-Global North research collaborations as the entry point, or the leverage point for advancing such a rebalancing.”

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The UK’s Russell Group universities have committed to supporting students and staff to become AI-literate while incorporating the technology into teaching and assessments.  

The group published new principles which set out how institutions will use technologies like ChatGPT responsibly and ethically, while capitalising on the opportunities they provide. 

The guidelines, which have been agreed by the 24 Russell Group vice-chancellors, include equipping staff to support students to use AI tools and adapting teaching and assessment to incorporate the use of the technology.

They say doing so could “enhance the student learning experience” and prepare students for “real-world” applications of these technologies post-university. 

Universities will also need to consider how to ensure all students have access to the tools, the guidelines add. 

There have been widespread concerns about students using AI to complete coursework and assessments, as academics say this amounts to cheating that they are unable to detect. 

All Russell Group institutions have now reviewed their academic codes of conduct to reflect developments in AI and where use of the technology is inappropriate. The guidelines state that students should be able to discuss their use “without fear of penalisation”. 

“We know that students are already utilising this technology, so the question for us as educators is how do you best prepare them for this, and what are the skills they need to have to know how to engage with generative AI sensibly?” said Andrew Brass, head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Manchester. 

“It seems very likely every job and sector will be transformed by AI”

“It’s clear that this can’t be imposed from the top down, but by working really, closely with our students to co-create the guidance we provide. 

“If there are restrictions for example, it’s crucial that it’s clearly explained to students why they are in place, or we will find that people find a way around it,” he added. 

Gavin McLachlan, vice principal and chief information officer at the University of Edinburgh, said that universities have a “responsibility” to ensure students are AI-literate.

“It seems very likely every job and sector will be transformed by AI to some extent.” 

The implications of AI for international education have been widely debated, with some organisations incorporating the technology into their services, but there are widely-held concerns around the ethics of generative AI. 

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Most international students who come to Canada want to remain and eventually become permanent residents – but less than a third actually achieve this goal, a new study says.

Jenny Francis, a geography faculty member at Langara College in Vancouver, has spent the last three years surveying students and studying the issue in British Columbia.

“We’re really exploiting international students by bringing them in and not worrying what happens to them,” she told The PIE News in an interview. “For the colleges in British Columbia, it’s more money, more money, more money.”

In her report, Francis pointed to data from Statistics Canada that showed only 30% of international students with a bachelor’s degree become permanent residents within 10 years of first obtaining a study permit. For her study, more than 1,000 international students and recent graduates temporarily in Canada under the post-graduate work permit program were surveyed.

Overseas agents convince students that it is easy to obtain permanent resident status, when in fact it can take many years and the individual may eventually be turned down. CBIE surveys have previously found that 60% of international students plan to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

“There is a chance to immigrate to Canada, but it’s not a slam-dunk by any means,” Francis said.

Many international students lack the English skills and academic preparedness to qualify for managerial employment that leads them to be able to apply for permanent resident status, she argues. “A 21-year-old student from India with a two-year diploma in photography is not going to get a managerial position that will lead to permanent residency.”

Earlier this year, Canadian think tank, Conference Board of Canada, called on the government to introduce an international student immigration strategy.

Last year, Canada managing director at World Education Services,  Shamira Madhany, told The PIE that “it is critical that [students] have the necessary supports to be successful as they transition from post-secondary to the labour force and succeed long term”.

Over the last two decades colleges in British Columbia and Ontario have taken advantage of high demand from international students to respond to stagnating provincial government funding by catering to more students from overseas.

“The colleges have just jumped on recruiting as many students as they can,” Francis suggested.

Despite the fact that they have paid a lot of money for international tuition, these students are offered little help in finding employment and moving on to the next stage of their dream of staying in Canada, she continued.

Employability often features in discussions at conferences such as CBIE, however, and it may be unfair to tarnish all education providers with the same brush.

Outgoing president of Universities Canada Paul Davidson has previously noted that immigration to Canada is a “non-partisan issue”. Canada was one of the first countries to provide a “premium or a bonus” to students that wished to stay beyond their graduation, he added.

For Francis, it is ironic that a wealthy country like Canada is relying on students with little money to support its colleges. “The question is: Are we going to let poor farming families in Punjab (India) finance our education system by mortgaging their farms,” Francis asked.

In addition, she believes that Canada needs to be more upfront with prospective international students about the cost of living to ensure they are fully supported.

She is urging the federal government to double the minimum cash that students on the Student Direct Stream must have to get a study permit from $10,000 to $20,000.

Francis is concerned that overseas agents are misleading students about living expenses and the chances of gaining permanent residency after graduation. “I wish that the province would tell the colleges that they can’t use agents or at least restrict the use of agents.”

The role of agents is expected to be reviewed in Canada’s upcoming international education strategy.

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Ahead of the release of a new international education strategy for Ireland, ministers have emphasised the unique opportunity the country has to build capacity and increase access for both domestic and international students.

Having avoided the “Erasmus contamination” of Brexit and currently benefitting from a huge corporation tax windfall, Ireland is in an enviable position that could provide a “once in a generation” opportunity to invest in education.

Simon Harris, minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, addressed the QS Higher Education Summit in Dublin.

“The focus of the previous strategy was overwhelmingly on attracting inbound students”

“The focus of the previous [international education] strategy was overwhelmingly on attracting inbound students. This strategy will not only seek to continue to grow students coming to study in Ireland, but will also balance it with an outward focus, in particular through supporting Erasmus+ student and staff exchange.”

The previous strategy for 2021-2023, along with focusing on European Union relations, also sought to deepen connections with UK institutions.

Ireland has continued to operate successfully as part of Erasmus+ despite the UK leaving the scheme when it exited the EU. Irish students have also maintained access to home-fee status in the UK, and is the only European country to have seen an increase in students going to the UK since Brexit.

“We’ve done great work in terms of Erasmus… that’s incredible to ensure that those traditions can continue,” he said.

Education in Ireland also launched a new marketing effort targeting Indian students on July 4.

The ‘Embrace the Emerald Isle: Unveiling Ireland’s Educational Excellence’ campaign is a nine-month long engagement series featuring roadshows, digital campaigns and live sessions. It is hoping to increase the number of Indian students opting to study in Ireland in the 2024/25 academic year.

“By showcasing the academic excellence of Irish higher education institutions and the incredible opportunities available to Indian students, this campaign will undoubtedly attract a significant inflow of Indian students for the 2024/25 academic season,” said Ireland’s Ambassador to India, Brendan Ward.

“Ireland has gained recognition for its educational excellence and buoyant job market across sectors like IT, Business, Finance, Big Data, Medical Technology, Engineering and Digital Marketing to name a few.”

Harris reminded delegates at the QS Summit that 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s accession to the EU and reaffirmed the need for support from European partners to realise their ambitious targets in higher education, research, innovation and science.

He also highlighted the “low-hanging fruit” that represents the mutual benefits of transnational education, and with hundreds of delegates from universities across Europe in attendance and many more online, he took the opportunity to garner support by saying, “I believe we are obligated to work together as best as we possibly can.”

Accommodation shortages and school places have continued to hamper Irish recruitment as demand is high yet capacity is limited.

The Irish government recently announced a number of options to expand university level places for healthcare and veterinary medicine in Ireland, along with fast-tracking planning applications for new student accommodation.

The tender process for new veterinary schools opened last autumn with a decision on the chosen providers expected imminently from the cabinet.

QS revealed its latest world rankings at the event, with Irish universities consistently appearing in the top one percent of institutions globally.

Harris congratulated institutions on their rankings but also reminded that “not all that is valuable can be measured” in the impact of education. He reaffirmed that the government’s “continued investment in education is not just seen as our greatest resource but has been instrumental in attracting top international talent into our universities”.

A recent survey from Eurostat revealed that Ireland now has the highest cost of living in the EU, with household expenditure 46% higher than the average.

Domestic student access is severely under pressure while demand is high internationally and there are calls to increase state funding to bridge the gap.

This tension between high fees and an accommodation crisis inhibiting domestic access was highlighted by social democrat Gary Gannon, who spoke exclusively to The PIE.

“Education for me should always be expensive, but should only be expensive to the state,” explained Gannon, the politician representing the Dublin Central constituency.

“It’s going to be about investment in education and the places in which we house people coming”

“In Ireland we have a massive surplus of corporate tax receipts at the minute that we are really going to invest into what is sustainable long term. It’s going to be about investment in education and the places in which we house people coming.”

Gannon used his keynote speech to close the QS summit to raise awareness of systemic “locking in of privilege” in the current education system in Ireland.

Only 18% of leaving school certificates taken by students from state funded equal opportunities schools (DEIS) last year, went on to tertiary education compared to 98% from fee paying schools in Ireland.

Speaking of what he hoped to see from the international strategy, Gannon stressed that access to education is not just a domestic problem.

“Being attractive to international students to me is not just about milking international students, which often seems to be the case.

“When we charge high fees and high rents, it also means we exclude those international students who would never in the world be able to afford them.

“I’d like to see an actual strategy for educational access that starts with understanding what is the best approach to bringing people from different backgrounds into university.”

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British qualifications provider NCC Education is expanding its footprint in Africa adding a new qualifications partner study centre in the continent’s biggest source of international students, Nigeria.

The company is opening its 11th partner study centre in Nigeria in partnership with a local college PEFTI Film Institute.

The new centre is one of the dozens it has accredited in Africa and one of over 200 across the world that offer accord UK qualifications to students, providing both distance and in-college education to students who plan to join universities for further studies.

The Institute, a trainer in film production, performing arts, music, business, fashion and technology, caters to the country’s burgeoning theatre and media industry and is also accredited by Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education.

It will start admitting students to the UK universities’ entry courses in September. Students will have an opportunity to study for periods beginning one year, studying in either Lagos or Ibadan campuses of PEFTI.

“Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. With almost 300 million people, there is no danger of over competition,” said NCC Education business development manager for Africa & Central Asia, Marcelle Du Rand, when asked about the high number of centres it had accredited in Lagos.

“Students prefer to remain as local as possible or study at larger institutions with boarding facilities”

“Lagos itself is densely populated and travelling is time consuming, resulting in students preferring to remain as local as possible or study at larger institutions with boarding facilities.”

In Nigeria, the centres can offer the University of Central Lancashire “top-up” degree options with Cyber security or Information Systems.

She added that the demand for transnational education is “robust” in Africa. NCC has in place “rigorous quality processes” including Academic Standards Managers, Quality Assurance Managers, Customer Service Executives, and Business Development Managers, who closely monitor centres to guarantee quality of qualifications, Du Rand continued.

“NCC Education is well-suited to meet the growing quest for international education in Africa. Our organisation understands the challenges of affordability and strives to provide accessible education solutions by offering UK degree pathways to students in their home countries,” she told The PIE News.

With a presence in 50 countries, NCC operates regional offices in China, Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia.

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