that’s true that our universities have existed long before international students. However they have gone through different phases in terms of funding. In our very early colonial and post colonial days they were seldom open for other than the wealthy. Then post war as demand for skills increased and social views changed - including a demand for greater access to education- universities were well funded. But then views changed again and governments started believing in user pays and reduced funding. So universities had to find a way of bridging the gap - international students were an answer and better to charge them more to reduce astronomical increases in costs for our own citizens. So now where are we?
we simply don’t value education enough - to our own detriment in this fast paced and increasingly technology driven world.
as for the why they would come to australia or go overseas. I am not saying our universities are not up to scratch - there is regular data collected and published on the standing of different universities across the world - so we can rely on facts not my opinion.
students choose which university and where on a number of different factors. But China is now actively discouraging attendance in australia. That is clearly in the same category as changes in trade.
