News and Opportunities
Expressions of interest sought for proposed Australian education fair in Japan
26 Aug 2013
Austrade is seeking expressions of interest from Australian education institutions about participating in a proposed annual student recruitment exhibition. The ‘Australia Future Unlimited: Education Fair Japan’ would take place in Tokyo starting from 2014 or 2015.
The Japanese market is currently in a period of growth that looks set to continue. Positive moves in the market include:
- the Japanese Government remaining committed to providing stipends to high school and university students for study abroad
- Japanese universities placing more emphasis on study abroad, with a growing number obligating their students to undertake one to two semesters overseas
- positive growth in the number of study abroad enquiries, as reported by education agents
- employers placing more value on a study abroad experience when recruiting.
Based on market research and analysis of market trends, Austrade believes conditions are favourable to reactivate an Australian Government-run student recruitment exhibition in Japan.
The proposed exhibition would:
- welcome participation by CRICOS-registered providers from all sectors (higher education, VET, ELICOS and school) and from state government agencies
- take place in Tokyo over 1.5 days (Friday afternoon to Saturday)
- be held either in October/November 2014 or May/June 2015
- incur estimated participation fees of:
- A$3600–4000 for universities, VET and ELICOS providers
- A$2200–2500 for school providers
- attract about 600–800 visitors
- require a minimum number of 40 registrants to proceed
Additional optional events, such as industry networking sessions to identify prospective education agents and institutional contacts, may be considered (additional costs would apply).
Further details about the ‘Australia Future Unlimited: Education Fair Japan’ will be provided after expressions of interest and feedback have been received from respondents.
Australian education providers are invited to submit an expression of interest form by Friday, 21 September 2013.
Enquiries should be directed to Ms Tomoko Ichikawa, Business Development Manager, Austrade Tokyo.
E: tomoko.ichikawa@austrade.gov.au
T: +81-3-5232-3931
F: +81-3-5232-4190
Analysis
According to the June 2013 (year-to-date) international student data from Australian Education International, commencements from Japan show a continuing upward trend in all sectors except vocational education and training (VET). Japanese school commencements are up 11.8 per cent, higher education is up 0.9 per cent and ELICOS is up 6.3 per cent.
Adding to the positive growth in student numbers are increases in working holiday and tourist visas, both of which are major sources of ELICOS students and a bellwether for future growth in VET and higher education enrolments.
On the competitor front, the US, UK and Canada embassies report increasing success in student recruitment exhibitions held under the banner of government. All three embassies have seen growing numbers in attendance by prospective students and participating institutions at their exhibitions. For example, about 2200 attendees and 83 Canadian institutions took part in the Canadian Embassy-run exhibition in November 2012. More recently, the Victorian State Government held an exhibition in June 2013, which was attended by 200 prospective students and 18 Victorian institutions.