The service, studylane, was set up after reports showed that education services were Australia’s third largest export earner.

Education services bring in $16 billion dollars to the Australian economy, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2010 – 2011.

studylane is a new online portal which will make Australia more accessible for the 300, 000 international students each year who choose to study in Australia.

Founder and CEO of studylane, Bipul Kafley, says that the service will provide trained counsellors to help provide assistance and believes it will help education in Australia overall.

“International students can also add different social and cultural perspectives that help the educational experience for all students- which can be very important in the globalised business world of today,” Kafley said.

studylane has access to universities and other education tools in all parts of Australia.

The surplus rose by $366 million in December with export value rising by 2.3 per cent.

A strong rise in resources exports was also recorded with a large recovery in coal exports following the Queensland Floods.

Australia’s exports continue to be dominated by resources, comprising approximately 62 percent of total exports in December.

There was a drop in services exports recorded that indicated a weakness in travel and education exports.

The divergent economy remains weak with a low rate of building approvals that have continued falling 24.5 percent year on year.

Recent interest rate cuts, and further expected cuts, are expected to provide support for the divergent economy and modest growth is expected in late 2012.

Following the unexpected rise in trade surplus it is predicted to moderate throughout 2012.

While some industries are going through growth periods in the face of the strong AUD, notably imports and mining, which has had a massive investment boom, others that are in direct competition are suffering in comparison.

Offshore travel by Australians is at record levels but local tourism, retail and the tertiary education sector are showing weaker conditions, according to HSBC Global Research. So while some sectors of the economy are growing, and rapidly, others are beginning to slow down in order to make way for those on the up.

Much of the slow down has been in response to increasing numbers of Australians travelling overseas. The highest level of external departures on record, 33 percent, was recorded over the last year, which in turn has an effect on local retail spend and the manufacturing industry. This industry in particular has seen a decline in employment, however latest estimates suggest that manufactured export volumes have continued to rise despite the strong AUD.

The education export sector has also shown a drop in numbers over the past few quarters with local universities struggling to compete with the current exchange rate. Part of the reason for this decline however may be due to changes in slowing the issuance of student visas.

Despite the fact that some industries are decelerating in the face of the strong Aussie dollar, others are continuing to show strength, which can be taken as a positive outlook for Australia.

Unfortunately the incident occurred as our dollar rose, competition from Canada, the UK and the USA became fierce, and our visa categories changed, which led to a significant fall in Indian student numbers, says Peter Linford, Austrade senior trade commissioner for South Asia.

“So we’ve undertaken a fairly comprehensive roadshow in India, reintroducing Australia as a study destination for Indian students. The focus of it is quality education: it’s not cheap education with sunshine and a great lifestyle, it’s quality education with the added benefit of an Australian lifestyle,” he explains of the new campaign designed to re-engage the market.

Rebuilding confidence

Ravi Bhatia, national vice chairman of the Australia India Business Council and CEO of Primus Australia, says the media coverage of the protests was part real, part hyperbole, but it clearly dented confidence in the sector. In the next few months, however, he expects to see a major improvement due to Austrade’s campaign, as well as the formation of the Committee of Student Related Activities (COSRA).

“The Indian diaspora in Australia has taken upon itself to enhance confidence. The diaspora has formed a group called COSRA, which is supported by the Indian Consulate General, and it consists of 10-to-15 very prominent Australians,” Bhatia relays.

In mid-July this year COSRA began hosting support workshops for incoming Indian students, an orientation “familiarising them with Australia, talking about cultural sensitivities, modes of behaviour including police as a friend and so on,” he says. In addition to the workshops, to be held every six months, COSRA will also develop into a network to provide individual support for students tackling issues such as medical emergencies and accommodation and employment problems.

While Bhatia says Australia’s tough language requirements may dampen numbers, he believes initiatives like COSRA will go a long way to enticing Indian students back to our shores. “It is being conducted by some very well known members of the diaspora who have credibility. It is soft stuff, but the word is going to travel back and I think it is a good way to address the confidence issue.”

Another key factor is stakeholder support. “The Australian representation in India at a diplomatic level has been superb. That extends also to DFAT and Austrade. People are very proactive, they are full of fresh ideas, and they are projecting an excellent image for Australia and opening a lot of opportunities,” he states, adding: “The Indian diaspora in Australia has expanded substantially, which is leading to a better understanding of the opportunities on one hand, better political relationships on the other.

Hybrid education

A trend on the horizon is hybrid education, “whereby an Indian student can complete part of his higher education to Australian standards within certain institutions in India and come and complete the degree in Australia and possibly work here for a few years and take that experience back to India,” Bhatia predicts.

Linford says industry/education hybrid programs already exist in areas short of talent. This initiative, separate from the inbound education drive, delivers training in India linked to industry. An Indian company that has invested in an n Australia mine approached Austrade. “They said: ‘We can’t get enough people to work on this mine, we need to bring in Indian workers’,” Linford recalls. These workers, however, would need the requisite skills for the new roles, as well as training in Australian safety standards, and so the model was born.

The ranking compares around 1,200 higher education institutions globally, considering the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals. Research recognition and published articles.

Minister for Higher education and Skills Peter Hall has congratulated The University of Melbourne for their “tremendous achievement”.

Melbourne is ranked 60^th in the world out of the top 500 international universities, up two places since last year.

Coming first in the field of Clinical Medicine and Pharmacy in Australia, it is now ranked 36^th in the world, making the university a popular destination for  local and international students considering a career in the field.

In addition, according to the QS World University Rankings 2010-2011, the university is ranked 9^th in the world for graduate employability.

With this success rate, the university already attracts more than 11,800 international students from over 120 countries. Being named Australia’s best university will see its international reputation continue to grow.

“Victoria is justifiably proud of the high quality and achievements of its universities. And while the state already has a reputation for having universities of world class standard, this result will reinforce and boost that reputation worldwide,” said Mr Hall.

Monash university also performed well in the Australian Ranking, achieving joint 6^th place while La Trobe and Swinbourne were both ranked in the top 20.

Mr Hall said local students benefit from Victoria’s reputation as a centre for excellence in higher education and local and national industry will benefit from access to the country’s best graduates to support their growth and international competitiveness.

Jointly chaired by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Jobs, Chris Evans and India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal, the meeting was a further step in a “deep and enduring” bilateral relationship, Evans said.

“Today’s meeting of the AIEC provides a critical forum for leaders representing government, education and training organisations and industry to identify strategic goals of mutual benefit to both nations in further strengthening the bilateral education, training and research relationship.”

The two ministers also met as part of the Annual India-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Education Cooperation. In the wake of a series of attacks on Indian students in Australia, the pair agreed to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Student Mobility and Welfare. Both countries agreed to implement measures to enhance the safety and welfare of students and strengthen the monitoring of education agent activities.

The Ministers also launched a new bilateral Australian India Education Links website as an information portal and welcomed initiatives to increase cooperation and collaboration agreed during the India Australia Vice-Chancellors’ and Senior University Executives’ Workshop held in Delhi on 31 July.

Senator Evans said the meetings are reflective of both Australia’s and India’s commitment to education and training.

“Australia has a long relationship with India when it comes to bilateral cooperation in education and training,” Evans said. In 2009, Indian students made up 18 percent of Australia’s foreign student population, contributing approximately $30,000 per person each year to the Australian economy.

“Both countries have high ranking tertiary education institutions, strong vocational and education training initiatives funded by our respective governments and robust economies that require highly skilled workforces.”

The AIEC will meet annually in conjunction with the Annual India-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Education Cooperation.

Elliot highlighted the importance of the rebrand as a shift from marketing Australia for its affordability, the natural environment and relaxed lifestyle to a more serious approach marketing Australia for its world class education facilities and opportunities. “We want to make sure the world knows how much our institutions can do to help students build a better life, wherever they come from and whatever their aspirations,” Elliot said. “Future Unlimited will highlight the quality of Australian teaching and institutions, their global relevance and progressive outlook.”

The rebranding comes as a response to research of the international education sector. “All available research tells us the desire for a better future is the key factor motivating students seeking an international education,” Elliot said. “Our new branding responds to this by repositioning Australia as a premium education destination, rather than simply a great place to live while you study.”

Future Unlimited is coordinated by Austrade, the Federal Government’s trade and investment promotion agency. It will work in conjunction with the broader national branding campaign, Australia Unlimited, which launched last year.

Not only are there dozens of Australian chefs working in big name restaurants overseas, but Frank Brunacci from Trump Tower’s Sixteen, Skye Gyngell and Shane Osborn from the United Kingdom’s Petersham Nurseries and Pied à Terre have all won Michelin stars—Osborn two—while Curtis Stone is the USA’s NBC Network’s chef on its top rating cooking shows, including the Today Show and The Biggest Loser. Australians may remember Stone from his Surfing the Menu adventures, a cooking series that ran for three years and has been shown in 26 countries, providing him with an entry into US television.

Our hospitality exports go beyond the kitchen. Donna Hay’s bi-monthly magazine is in its 12th year of publication, selling more than 114,000 copies every issue in international markets such as the UK and the USA, where it’s the top selling international food magazine in chains Barnes & Noble and Borders. Plus Hay has published 18 award-winning cookbooks that have sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and been translated into nine languages. She also contributes to publications in Britain, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. The Brits regard her as the next Martha Stewart and china company Royal Doulton commissioned her to design a range of homewares for international sale.

And with the Asian hotel and tourism industry in particular growing exponentially, Australian hospitality training is in increasing demand with overseas students looking for cross-cultural grounding and portable skills for their future careers.

Education and tourism were the highest earners in China, with education related travel services topping the chart at $4.4 billion in 2009-10. Exports of other personal travel services were valued at $610 million.

About 165,000 Chinese students are enrolled in courses in Australia. This figure continues to increase although growth is slowing as education costs rise. The cost of studying in Australia for a Chinese student has doubled in the past two years to $126,940 according to estimates by Navitas, Australia’s largest international education reseller.

The USA came in second as a services export market, buying just under $5.3 billion of Australian services last financial year. The US has held the position of largest services export market since 1983.

Overall, Australia’s service exports fell just 0.2 percent to $5.8 billion in spite of the global downturn. Services account for 20.7 percent of Australia’s total trade in goods and services.

The report entitled Trade in Services, Australia 2009-10 is part of a series released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade each year which measures Australia’s international trade.

1. Indian student attacks

Two attacks on Indian students in Melbourne, seemingly racially motivated, threatened to curtail this multimillion-dollar industry in a significant source market. However, it was not just education, Australia’s third largest export and our highest value service export, at risk. Australia’s image in India was at least temporarily tarnished as this issue, unresolved since 2009, increased in profile.

Diplomacy was in full force as former acting Prime Minister and Minister for Education Julia Gillard, and acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Crean, met with their Indian counterparts to ease tension.

2. China versus Rio Tinto

In 2009, Chinese authorities arrested detained four Rio Tinto employees, including Australian executive Stern Hu, for five weeks before formally charging them with commercial bribery and trade secrets infringement. Hu attended a closed trial in March 2010 and accepted the Chinese court’s 10-year sentence.

The sentence came as a warning for exporters to avoid corrupt practices when doing business in China, particularly in the resources sector, which is Australia’s biggest earner in China.

3. Mining tax debacle

The resources sector came out in force against the Henry Tax Review suggestion that the sector pay 40 percent tax on its so-called ‘super profits’. The Federal Government decided to adopt the suggestion and the industry spent millions in a nationwide advertising campaign in protest. Economists believe the tax will curb some investments and affect mineral exports, which may have a trickle-down effect in the wider economy.

4. Rising Australian dollar

The Australian dollar reached parity with the US dollar in mid-October after months above US80c and US90c. The weakness of the US economy, in addition to flailing markets in the UK and eurozone (particularly Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain), boosted the Australian dollar in global markets, and threatened to chew at exporters’ margins. Competing on a lower dollar is no longer an option for exporters as near-parity is predicted to continue well into 2011.

5. Global travel woes

An ash cloud created by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, the Icelandic volcano most found difficult to say and spell, interrupted much of Europe’s airspace for five days in April. Airlines had to deal with thousands of stranded passengers and airfreight routes had to be re-routed or delayed.

Let’s not forget natural disasters in Haiti, China, and Pakistan, the Gulf oil spill, and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration body-scanning controversy added to the mix. On a domestic front, Virgin Blue suffered a system crash that saw several planeloads of passengers stranded in September.

Things to celebrate

But it wasn’t all bad. Exporters started the year with a larger backyard market thanks to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). Australia’s foray into China at the Shanghai World Expo and as country of honour at the China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair was also successful, and we also launched a nation brand, Australia Unlimited, as distinct from our tourism campaigns.

Not that we forgot about tourism, which received a lot of attention in December when US talk show host Oprah Winfrey decided to visit for her last show, Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure, bringing an entourage of 302 dedicated audience members and employing hundreds of US and Australian staff. Organised by Winfrey’s Harpo Productions in conjunction with Tourism Australia and local airline Qantas, the tour will be televised in January 2011.

What events rocked your exports in 2010?