Page 46 - StudyTravel Magazine July 2014 Issue

MarKet analySiS AUSTRAliA

Australia

bounces back

After a number of lean years, many Australian Australian language schools’ marketing budget by region (overall %)
language schools enjoyed a substantial rise in
both student numbers and weeks in 2013, and
confidence is at last beginning to return to this
market. Jane Vernon Smith discovers the
story behind the statistics.
18% 24% 5% 1% 5% 37% 10%

latin W europe c&e africa Middle asia australasia
america europe east
he drought is over!” announces Ian she observes, with figures for the first Alongside currency factors, the Knight
Pratt of the Lexis English group quarter showing an increase of about 25 per Review has been another major influence
of schools www.lexisenglish. cent compared with last year.” behind increased demand at many schools.
t com, which has five centres across For Timothy Eckenfels, Executive Davidson points out that the introduction of
Australia. “After what has been a very Director at International House Sydney Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP) has had
trying few years in the industry here in www.ihsydney.com.au in NSW, “The a positive impact on the market, and others
Australia, we have seen very solid growth strengthening euro and small drop in the also mention this as a stimulant for growth.
for the last 18 months. While we are not Australian dollar has meant that students Pratt, for example, says that Lexis
yet back to the heady days of 2009, both are finding Australia more affordable than has seen “an explosion in numbers for our
recruitment numbers and profitability are in the past few years.” EAP [English for Academic Purposes]
very pleasing indeed!” However, it is the school’s own courses”, which he says are driven mostly
AT MEGT Education www.megt. initiative in making changes to its by the SVP university pathway, and Ben
com.au in Sydney, NSW, National curriculum – to provide complete flexibility Mack, Deputy Director of Global Sales &
Communications and Brand Manager, for students to move between morning and Marketing at Brown’s English Language
Fiona Davidson, also reports a positive evening courses – that he believes is the School www.brownsels.com.au in Gold
experience, noting, “We are seeing the major factor behind its impressive 30 per Coast, QLD, similarly reports substantial
cent growth over the past year. The trend is growth in demand for academic pathways,
continuing into 2014, and, “While January
was expected to be our biggest month ever,
11.9 weeks overall average length of stay
March saw starters surpass even January Top nationalities in Australia by
AUS$329 average language tuition per week numbers,” he records. student weeks – according to
schools, 2013
Brazilian 12.6%
average cost
of a one- Korean 11.5%
market bounce back, with healthy growth
AUs$1,316 month course,
at both our Sydney and Melbourne city Japanese 11.1%
excluding
campuses, and with Melbourne performing accommodation
very well.” chinese 9.5%
Meanwhile, at RMIT English AUs$262 average cost swiss 6.6%
of residential
Worldwide (REW) www. accommodation
rmitenglishworldwide.com in Melbourne, per week colombian 6.3% PHoto: MaxiMe CoQuard/ touriSM auStralia
VIC, Centre Director, Ann Wright, taiwanese 5%
states that, while student numbers in 2013 AUs$253 average cost
remained fairly stable compared with the of host family vietnamese 4.5%
previous year, the average number of weeks accommodation italian 4.5%
per week
of study per student showed a healthy Source: STM Status
*For currency conversion rate, see page 12 indian 3.2% survey on Australia
increase. “This trend is continuing in 2014,”
44 | Study travel Magazine | july 2014