The US Studies Centre partnered with the NSW Government to deliver a report on the future of international higher education and what it means for New South Wales, and more broadly for Australia. The Australian export education industry is a significant economic driver but diminishing returns have set in regarding the existing high volume/low cost model. In parallel with the Centre’s work, the NSW Government has set up a taskforce to ensure NSW is recognised as a high quality international education market into the future and our report will inform these policy settings.

The report was considered by a panel on the afternoon of 1 August. The Deputy Premier, the Hon Andrew Stoner, opened the workshop with the following international and Australian higher education experts:

  • Professor Tony Chan, President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Professor Peter Lange, Provost of Duke University
  • Professor Scott Waugh, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of California, Los Angeles
  • Professor Steven Schwartz, Vice-Chancellor and President, Macquarie University
  • Professor Richard Henry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of New South Wales
  • Professor Paul Wellings, Vice-Chancellor, University of Wollongong

The Centre’s report, written by Dr Sean Gallagher and Professor Geoffrey Garrett, considers international innovation in higher education. It focuses on lessons to be learned from new global innovations for the internationalisation of higher education that move beyond focusing only on the Australian “exports” model towards a broader model that also leverages Asia Pacific value chains in teaching and research. It focuses on US universities in particular and their influence and activities in Asia.