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(Last updated: 13 Jul 2007)
Trends and opportunities
The market
Since independence the education system has been drained of resources at a time where it requires reorganisation of the curriculum. At the primary and secondary levels, parents have had to contribute to make up the shortfall in resources and teaching materials. Life is also harder for postgraduate students, many of whom would, in the past, have continued their studies in Belgrade. This option is now too expensive for most of these students.
Apart from a few private universities, the State controls the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s (FYROM) education system.
Several Australian education institutes have shown some interest in promoting their services in the FYROM. It is estimated that over 5000 students from the FYROM are studying abroad in full-year secondary and college studies.
English is the most popular foreign language for Macedonian students. From public schools to universities, an increasing number of pupils and students are studying English. The languages spoken in FYROM include:
- Macedonian – 64.18 per cent
- Albanian – 25.17 per cent
- Turkish – 3.85 per cent
- Serbo-Croatian – 1.78 per cent
- Other – 5.02 per cent
The structure of the school system is:
- Kindergarten (age three to six) with pre-school programs
- General (public) school (eight grades from age six to 14) of which four lower grades make the primary level schooling and grades five to eight make the lower secondary level schooling
- General secondary school (four grades from age 14 to 18 or 19) called the Gymnasium, as well as vocational schools and technical schools make the upper secondary level of education.
- Tertiary education - lower level education is provided by post-secondary (mainly vocational) schools, adult education and also by universities
- Universities do higher tertiary education, postgraduate, master and doctorate studies.
Opportunities
As Australian education standards are high, potential exists to recruit students from the FYROM for both full-year secondary and college-level studies. Specific undergraduate and postgraduate courses that Macedonians most frequently enquire about are:
- Management and business administration
- Financial studies (including accountancy)
- Marketing
- IT and e-commerce
- Hotel and tourism
- Agriculture and farm management
- Medicine and veterinary studies
- English language studies
Australian educational institutes need to market themselves more actively to education and tourist agencies in Macedonia to capture a greater share of overseas-bound short course and full-year students. The fact that Australian student visa holders may apply for special permits allowing up to 20 hours part-time employment per week should be capitalised on.
Competitive environment
There is minimal competition from other countries in offering educational services with only occasional advertisements from Greece and USA.
According to estimates there are over 1000 students in Macedonia doing long distance learning with various universities around the world, mainly in Western Europe and the USA.
Australia is an attractive study destination due to its large Macedonian population and has the opportunity to market and attract many long distance students.
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