Sarah Ahern

Abstract:  International education is a major contributor to the Australian economy. By the end of
2007, it was ranked third, after coal and iron ore, as an export earner, having overtaken
tourism to become the most successful service industry in Australia. The financial
success of the industry, however, overshadows other aspects of the trade in education.
In this paper, I focus on the role of government policy in international education, and its
effect on overseas students. Government policy decisions regarding the IELTS
(International English Language Testing System) testing regime, and the linking of
education and immigration, have had a major impact on international students. As part of
a research project at my workplace, an ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for
Overseas Students) college in Sydney, I conducted a series of interviews to determine the
students’ reactions to policy decisions and to other aspects of their lives and studies here.
The interviewees were teachers and students in IELTS preparation classes. These classes
prepare students for the IELTS test, which can be used for entry to university or college,
or for immigration purposes. The student responses are presented here as narratives, each
being a different perspective on the lived experience of international education in
Australia. Through these narratives, the impact of the export trade in education on
students is presented and analysed in the context of government policy on trade and
education.

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