The English Empire? Global Higher Education.

Australia in the 1950s received and subsidised its first international students from neighbouring Asian countries under the Colombo Plan to train 'the expert minds' necessary for development. During the 1980s subsidies were phased out, but the number of international students greatly increased. Migration rules based on points encouraged such students to become skilled migrants. Globalisation brought massive increases in student numbers and competition for revenue from their fees. English-speaking countries have market advantages because of the 'empire' of the United States; but it is dangerous to become over-reliant on overseas fee income. Public funding and curriculum structures need reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]