Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Already around five per cent of international students currently study in Australia's regional areas, making a significant and hopefully growing contribution to those local regional economies. Around 54 per cent of international students studying in regional campuses are enrolled in higher education courses, and we see a higher propensity amongst those students in regional areas to be in STEM fields—some 37 per cent, compared with 26 per cent in metro areas. These courses include agriculture and livestock breeding at the University of New England in Armidale or marine biodiversity at James Cook University in Cairns. Estimates for Armidale are that around $33 million is contributed to the local economy and 243 full-time equivalent jobs. But of course, as Senator McKenzie would be interested in, even those students studying in cities like Melbourne make a vast contribution to areas of regional Victoria: around $888 million of contribution supporting 5½ thousand full-time jobs. (Time expired)