Sydney developer Deicorp is set to officially open its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Showground Village</a> precinct in Castle Hill.

NSW Premier Chris Minns will attend the opening on Sunday August 31, alongside&nbsp;Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, The Hills Shire Council Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne, Landcom CEO Alex Wendler, and Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri.

Located just moments from Hills Showground Metro Station, the centre spans 9,500 sqm across four levels and features 26 specialty retailers as well as a 1,400 sqm public plaza, creating a new community meeting point for shopping, dining, fitness, and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Showground Village forms part of the Hills Showground Station Precinct, an urban renewal initiative led by Landcom and Sydney Metro that will provide for around 2,300 new jobs over the next 20 years and around 9,000 new homes.&nbsp;

Deicorp was recently approved for another new development next door to Showground Village.

The new five residential buildings in the East Showgrounds Precinct, will see another 873 dwellings delivered, as well as&nbsp;3,500 sqm of open public space in the form of landscaped courtyards, a public park and communal outdoor recreational space including a playground, barbeque area, and outdoor seating.

“This approval will allow us to start construction on a range of beautifully designed, conveniently located apartments and create another vibrant, walkable and well-connected community,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp" target="">Deicorp</a>&nbsp;Founder Fouad Deiri.

“These new homes will provide their residents with a seamless connection to jobs and services along Metro North West, and the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hills-showground-village-castle-hill-2-mandala-parade-castle-hill" target="">Hills Showground Village</a>&nbsp;retail precinct currently under construction."

Deicorp has several thousand apartments in planning and under construction across Sydney, from Zetland and Five Dock to Crows Nest and Macquarie Park.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=133881]

Joel Robinson

Deicorp, NSW Premier officially open Showground Village, new retail and hospitality hub in Castle Hill

ASX-listed developer Cedar Woods is progressing its plans for its Southbank arts precinct site.&nbsp;

The developer has filed plans, which are now with the&nbsp;Department of Transport and Planning, for a new 20-level tower at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/141-151-sturt-street-southbank-vic-3006">141–151 Sturt Street</a>, a 2,718 sqm block opposite the Habitat Filter sculpture.

The proposal seeks to demolish the two-level&nbsp;commercial building, including a small supermarket and medical tenancies, and create a new building with 180 apartments and a focus on an&nbsp;active public realm and arts integration.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Southbank site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="76a72db6-91ef-43ae-827d-a9cfa72893d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Site.png?VersionId=DZgtB4K6BswVh0QtCs3iLjXaLp0CbcEb" />

&nbsp;

There will be a full mix of apartment configurations, including 28 studio apartments, 16 one-bedroom, 104 two-bedroom, and 32 three-bedroom units.

Retail, creative arts, and residential amenity functions are integrated across the lower levels. A food and drink tenancy is planned to front Dodds Street, while a retail tenancy fronting Sturt Street will be accessed via an elevated walkway. The first floor includes a substantial 734 sqm creative arts space, envisioned to support Melbourne’s growing cultural and digital industries.

Architecture firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has put together the plans. In their&nbsp;Urban Design Report they highlighted the project’s ambition to embed itself within Southbank’s evolving cultural fabric.

A central feature of the design is a through-block link connecting Sturt and Dodds Streets, landscaped with native plantings and embedded with universal access ramps.

“The ramp has been thoughtfully integrated as the primary access point, ensuring universal accessibility for all users,” the report noted, with the link offering “a direct response to the urban planning scheme of creating more green spaces within our communities”.

<img alt="Southbank podium" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d24b1b2-d69c-4a11-a11d-ec6df432221c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium.png?VersionId=geWoJyZDmPSLODZ_.PNJ0LvpOmyyCdpo" />

The building’s podium form responds to the mandatory height limits along Dodds Street and maintains a fine-grain interface to adjoining developments. Above the podium, the tower is articulated with recessed balconies and a focus on views toward the CBD and surrounding arts institutions. A communal rooftop recreation deck and indoor lounge are positioned on level four, adjoining seven apartments and providing over 900 sqm of resident amenity space.

Vehicle access and loading will be provided via Dodds Street, with 155 resident car spaces located across two basement levels and the first three above-ground floors. Bicycle storage is more generous, with 226 spaces distributed across resident, staff and visitor needs.

Rothelowman describes the architecture as “humanist,” with ground-level interfaces designed to encourage social interaction and provide a dignified entry for both residents and passers-by. “All street interfaces are crafted to invite and nurture human connections,” the design report states. “The façade transitions to a human scale, providing an approachable and engaging streetscape”.

Cedar Woods, while well-known for its large communities it develops outside of Australia's capital cities, they have recently developed in Melbourne's inner-ring before. They are approaching completion at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/88-leveson-north-melbourne-88-leveson-street-north-melbourne-vic-3051">88 Leveson</a>, just 15 townhouses in the heart of North Melbourne.

Cedar Woods progresses with new apartment plans in Southbank arts precinct

Brisbane developers Core Property Partners and Vector Property Australia has teamed up for Brisbane's newest apartment development.

The duo identified <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as their preferred suburb, on the fringe of the Gabba Precinct, where they've just revealed BANKSII, 72 apartments opposite Raymond Park.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5481]

The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will sit in a glass-wrapped building that will also feature a rooftop with an&nbsp;infinity-edge pool, a BBQ area and alfresco dining spaces, sun lounges, and a sauna, as well as a resident-only gym and a ground-floor cafe.

Rhett Williams, Director of Vector Property Australia, said the project will lift the quality of the East Brisbane community and set a new benchmark.

"In Brisbane’s current property landscape, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/banksii-east-brisbane-169-wellington-road-east-brisbane-qld-4169">BANKSII</a> stands out through its emphasis on lifestyle-oriented living, connectivity and sophisticated design," Williams says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5479]

The 10-level building has been designed by MAS Architecture. Their designs were inspired by the native Banksia flower, with the architecture and interiors reflecting the organic symmetry of its namesake flora. MAS has interpreted this throughout the building’s curved form, façade detailing and interior palette.&nbsp;

The building’s flowing geometry and natural tones are complemented by large balconies and floor-to-ceiling glazing, maximising cross-breezes, daylight and views over the city, parklands and river.

“Having a strong narrative for a building helps us architecturally,” MAS noted. "We can choose colours that come off that species of flowers. The trunk and the trees and the flower elements all are now visible in our joinery on the inside and in our architectural finishes on the outside."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5485]

Apartments will feature timber floors, soft porcelain tiles, brushed bronze fittings, and stone benchtops with warm veining.&nbsp;

Kitchens feature premium SMEG appliances and generous storage, while bathrooms have been designed as calming retreats with curved cabinetry and twin sinks in the master ensuites.

The building will feature a suite of rooftop and wellness amenities. Residents will have access to an infinity-edge pool, BBQ and alfresco dining areas, sun lounges and a rooftop sauna.&nbsp;

A residents-only gym will be located on the podium level, while a ground-floor café and landscaped laneway will further activate the site and improve neighbourhood connectivity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136432 project_image_fid=5488]

BANKSII will rise from a prime Wellington Road site, with the building oriented to overlook the adjacent Raymond Park and take in extensive city views. It is also on the doorstep of key&nbsp;lifestyle infrastructure, including the future Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, The Gabba stadium, and the planned Brisbane Live arena.&nbsp;

Public transport options, including ferry, bus and rail - including the future Cross River Rail Woolloongabba station - are all nearby, supporting a car-optional lifestyle just minutes from the CBD.

Williams said the team spent over a year searching for the ideal site before securing this location.

"We were attracted to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/east-brisbane-qld-4169">East Brisbane</a> as it is a vibrant and growing community that offers a perfect balance of urban convenience and natural beauty with the parklands and river on our doorstep.”

The project is part of the broader Woolloongabba Games precinct, which is undergoing significant investment in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. This urban renewal, coupled with infrastructure upgrades, is expected to enhance long-term liveability and capital growth in the area.

Given the wide max of configurations, BANKSII is expected to suit everyone from first home buyers and investors to families and downsizers.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136432]

BANKSII sales launch in booming East Brisbane apartment market

The Minns Labor Government will deliver Sydney’s first new heavy rail station in more than a decade – enabling up to 10,000 new homes by rezoning land around Woollahra and Edgecliff stations, right next to the CBD, to tackle the housing crisis and rebalance growth across the city.

Recent reports by the NSW Productivity Commission have warned that Sydney is losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, while also finding that Woollahra is the most feasible Local Government Area (LGA) in New South Wales to build new housing.

Despite this, housing approvals in Woollahra consistently lag well behind other LGAs, and the population has declined by 11 per cent over the past 50 years while Greater Sydney as a whole has grown by 74 per cent.

The new station that will be an eight-minute trip from Sydney CBD, will be located on the Eastern Suburbs train line in Woollahra, where a station build was started in the 1970s but never completed.

To enable the delivery of new homes the NSW Government will lead a rezoning of Woollahra and Edgecliff stations similar to other state led rezonings to allow additional homes to be built around the stations.

Affordable housing will also make up a proportion of development on the site with the final amount of affordable housing required, to be determined as part of the rezoning process.

The area surrounding the new station is within walking distance of major green and recreational space including Cooper, Trumper, Rushcutters Bay and Centennial Parks.

The Eastern Suburbs train line between Bondi Junction and Sydney CBD also has the lowest passenger usage rates during the AM peak of any line on the Sydney network, with only 43 per cent of operating capacity during the AM peak currently being utilised by passengers.

Sydney Water and Infrastructure NSW have confirmed there is capacity in the water and wastewater systems to accommodate the proposed 10,000 dwellings without major upgrades.

The rezoning is expected to take around two years and will further support the Government’s housing targets that rebalance the delivery of new homes around existing infrastructure.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Next stop Woollahra train station - delivering up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Sydney

<section data-element_type="section" data-id="b086848">
Fresh off completing its mixed-use Malvern project Malvern Collective, Kokoda Property Group has acquired a prime site on Richmond's Bridge Road.

They are planning a mid-rise residential development with&nbsp;integrated wellness amenities and a vibrant ground-floor retail and dining offering.

The site, at&nbsp;487–495 Bridge Road, spans&nbsp;1,650 sqm with 50 metres of dual frontage across Bridge Road and Palmer Street. It is currently leased to Adairs, and has a large retail building and 20 onsite car parks.
</section>

<section data-element_type="section" data-id="534a164">
Kokoda Property Group’s acquisition forms part of a broader phase of growth in Melbourne, building on momentum from the completion of Malvern Collective and the recent purchase of a Burnley Street site for the developer’s first commercial project.&nbsp;

Mark Stevens, Kokoda Property Group’s Founder and Managing Director, said that the company’s Bridge Road site acquisition signals confidence in a city that is re-accelerating.

“Melbourne is regaining momentum,"&nbsp;Stevens said.

"After a cautious period post-COVID, we’re seeing buyer sentiment stabilise and capital leaning back into well-located, quality projects. Victoria now benefits from deep builder capacity and competitive delivery pricing, creating a rare opportunity to bring design-led inner-city developments to market without compromising on craftsmanship.

“Richmond ticks all the boxes for us – connectivity, culture and everyday amenity – making Bridge Road the perfect address for an amenity-rich, multi-use development."

<img alt="Kokoda" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a8de51d-8092-480a-8b7e-e081816692c2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-29%20at%208.54.27%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VRHpV5.6beOu2cieKHWrw3ErMPuVOAuj" />

Envisioned as an “urban lantern” the building will bring a distinctive new presence to Bridge Road with a sculptural retail frontage, designed to honour the street’s heritage character while contributing to its renewal.

Stevens said the acquisition reflects the developer’s commitment to design-led addresses in Melbourne’s inner city.

“Drawing on Richmond’s rich heritage and dynamic character, we’ve envisioned a contemporary building that respects the past while elevating the way people live today. With dual frontages, curated ground-floor spaces, and a focus on wellness, this project will contribute to the neighbourhood’s evolution, appealing to both downsizers and a new generation of professionals.”

Kokoda Property will now progress concept design ahead of a future planning process.
</section>

Mark Stevens, Kokoda Property Group’s Founder and Managing Director, said that the company’s Bridge Road site acquisition signals confidence in a city that is re-accelerating

First look: Kokoda secures Richmond site for new apartment development

Chinese Students

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EXPERT OBSERVER
<div>Net permanent and long-term arrivals sat at +299,670 over the year to October 2019, pointing towards strong ongoing population growth. </div>
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EoVcdJyQ2XA/XfHkL_dhFYI/AAAAAAAAzVo/9GUyowwMG4A1DQCcZWrdwf39145Je7XWQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1408">
Short-term visitors
Short-term visitors from China and India have resumed their upwards trend.
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S7qFu0ddQ2o/XfHkL86i2nI/AAAAAAAAzVs/Cd8rwjftgcwYecBVKAWoeGc8RvnFiPRSwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="356" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1450"></div>
And, as previously noted here, study is a big drawcard, with a record number of temporary visas on issue for international students. 
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQvbHQFrvd8/XfHkMCCN9pI/AAAAAAAAzVw/4gdtFxjyrPgc0tzsu45ayYLUmnpJPj3igCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A3.jpg" width="640" height="366" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1378">
I've been watching with interest to see whether there's been more action from Hong Kong, but if there is it's not evident in short-term visitor figures. 
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wAXic8jXbrk/XfHlU0qq3yI/AAAAAAAAzWY/do9_wdhBCr0oYKVQ9c0e3cYfJ1ZQqTv-gCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A4.jpg" width="640" height="370" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1405">
The main beneficiary of the student trend looks likely to be Victoria.
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2NjM3Jt9CA/XfHkMxuilpI/AAAAAAAAzV4/7Z__muzy-gIdr0OZQN5hIgUK2uoQwoSkACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A5.jpg" width="640" height="368" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1399">
Not much new here, except confirmation that more student visitors from Asia continue to come in record numbers, and that population growth looks likely to remain at around +1.6 per cent or thereabouts.
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>. 
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

International student surge ramps up: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1819/Quick_Guides/OverseasStudents">about two in every five</a> international students enrolled in Australian higher education institutions were from mainland China. Across the education sector, Chinese students brought in <a href="https://www.austrade.gov.au/news/economic-analysis/chinese-education-exports-reach-10-billion">more than $A10 billion a year</a>. During the pandemic, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-coronavirus-outbreak-is-the-biggest-crisis-ever-to-hit-international-education-131138">Australian universities have struggled</a> to retain and recruit international students.
The <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/international-students-from-only-these-countries-will-be-returning-to-australia-in-2020">first returning students</a> are due to fly out under a pilot scheme this weekend, <a href="https://www.cdu.edu.au/international/cdu-charter-flight">arriving in Darwin on Monday</a>. But numbers are very limited due to quarantine requirements.
It’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-unis-do-need-international-students-and-must-choose-between-the-high-and-low-roads-149973">essential to recruit and retain</a> international students to sustain and develop Australian higher education. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-what-australian-universities-can-do-to-recover-from-the-loss-of-international-student-fees-139759">loss of international student fee revenue</a> has prompted universities to make <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-universities-face-losing-1-in-10-staff-covid-driven-cuts-create-4-key-risks-147007">large job cuts</a>. Many are expected to <a href="https://theconversation.com/without-international-students-australias-universities-will-downsize-and-some-might-collapse-altogether-132869">downsize. Some might collapse</a>.
Competition calls for proactive measures
Pilot schemes to bring back small numbers of international students to <a href="https://www.cdu.edu.au/news/cdu-first-university-australasia-welcome-back-international-students">Darwin</a>, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/south-australia-s-covid-cluster-casts-shadow-on-pilot-plan-to-fly-back-international-students">Adelaide</a> and <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6881882/international-students-unlikely-to-return-to-act-this-year-as-uc-vice-chancellor-officially-welcomed/">Canberra</a> were announced months ago. However, with <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/australia-to-delay-return-of-more-international-students-pm-scott-morrison">priority being given to quarantining returning Australians</a>, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-14/nt-howard-springs-australian-repatriation-plans-coronavirus/12766352">students’ return was delayed</a>.
Australian universities also have other challenges to overcome.
The <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-australia-china-relationship-is-unravelling-faster-than-we-could-have-imagined-145836">unravelling relations</a> between Australia and China, if not managed well, may cast a dark shadow over educational exchanges.
Besides, Australia’s pilot plans are small in scale and slow in pace compared to its competitors. British universities such as Queens University Belfast and the University of Manchester have <a href="https://monitor.icef.com/2020/09/uk-universities-charter-flights-to-bring-international-students-back-to-campus/">chartered flights</a> to bring students from China back to campus. Canada <a href="https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/international-students-travel-canada-covid-19">re-opened its border</a> to all international students on October 20.
The Australian government and higher education sector must be more proactive to remain competitive in international education. Based on my experience as a teacher and researcher of Chinese international students, five approaches are worth considering.
Treat those who are here better
Perhaps somewhat counter-intuitively, <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-out-of-5-international-students-are-still-in-australia-how-we-treat-them-will-have-consequences-145099">a majority</a> of Australia’s international students remain onshore. The most direct and probably most efficient measure to attract more of these students is to treat those who are already here better.
Universities also have professional and moral obligations to look after students who could not return home to their loved ones. Many are far away from their support networks and unfamiliar with support arrangements in Australia.
Australia is very different from their home country in language, culture, values, governance and politics. COVID amplified the culture shocks and psychological pressures.
Despite being unable to travel due to border closures, international students know and <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-out-of-5-international-students-are-still-in-australia-how-we-treat-them-will-have-consequences-145099">often compare</a> how different countries are treating them. Their opinions, based on first-hand experience, can influence decisions on studying abroad by friends and relatives back home as well as members of their social networks.
According to my Chinese international students onshore, fee reductions, personalised care, Chinese-language support services and internship and work opportunities are among the best ways to win them over.
Integrate all students in virtual communities
It’s unlikely students now in China will be allowed to enter Australia en masse any time soon. Many universities continue educating these students through remote teaching and learning activities. However, as one Chinese international student said, her friend in China who attends classes on Zoom “<a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-international-students-trying-to-understand-australia-from-afar">constantly feels lost</a>” due to the “lack of personal experiences [of Australia]”.
Universities need to do much more than providing extra study materials to download. To keep offshore students engaged, universities must ensure they remain full members of the class despite their physical absence. Ways to do this include deliberately mixing them with onshore students for peer mentoring and collective assignments.
<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0092055X16631126">Research</a> shows local students are much more likely to engage with international students when they can learn from them. And creating opportunities for international students to share their knowledge can empower them.
Help with cross-border travel
Remote education, if well designed, can keep some offshore students enrolled. However, as Monash University vice-chancellor <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/deadline-looms-for-universities-foreign-students-20200915-p55vwi">Margaret Gardner points out</a>, teaching online is “a stopgap, not a solution”, because students don’t “have the full experience”.
And students’ inability to travel is a source of <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-increases-risk-to-international-students-mental-health-australia-urgently-needs-to-step-up-137596">pressure and anxiety</a>.
Considering that both Australia and China have largely <a href="https://covid19.who.int/table">controlled the virus</a>, the time is ripe for planning a “travel bubble”. Making travel between the countries easier could win the favour of many Chinese students.
Send the right signals
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-03/coronavirus-pm-tells-international-students-time-to-go-to-home/12119568">go home</a>” message to international students in early April was widely regarded as selfish and unsympathetic in Chinese social media. The damaging effect of such remarks can outweigh other <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tehan/message-international-students">messages of solidarity</a> with these students.
The government’s decision in August to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-09/chinese-scholars-have-visas-revoked-as-diplomatic-crisis-grows/12644022">revoke the visas</a> of two leading Australian studies experts from China also <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3101055/chinese-academics-australia-shocked-fear-chilling-effect-after">shocked</a> many Chinese-born academics and students in Australia. The lack of information, beyond citing security concerns, left room for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/scholars-australia-china-espionage-spies-visas-threat/12744392">speculation</a> about whether broader anti-China politics was involved.
Chinese students will only enrol in Australian universities if they and their parents consider the country safe and comfortable to study and live. For Australia to remain a desired study destination, the government needs to send clear and consistent signals.
Embrace Australia’s multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is one of Australia’s finest achievements. Unfortunately, the pandemic has surfaced a degree of <a href="https://theconversation.com/garbage-and-cash-cows-temporary-migrants-describe-anguish-of-exclusion-and-racism-during-covid-19-146098">exclusion and racism towards temporary visa holders</a>, including international students. Anti-Chinese incidents prompted the Chinese government <a href="https://theconversation.com/students-in-china-heed-their-governments-warnings-against-studying-in-australia-141871">to warn</a> in June against studying in Australia.
Some Chinese students defended Australia as <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-love-australia-3-things-international-students-want-australians-to-know-139857">a safe and desirable study destination</a>. Still, many reported they <a href="https://theconversation.com/students-in-china-heed-their-governments-warnings-against-studying-in-australia-141871">would consider their government’s warning</a>.
Chinese-born communities, including international students, have greatly enriched the diversity of Australian society. Yet many policymakers and educators have long framed the need to engage with Asia and China along utilitarian lines such as creating jobs or bringing in money.
These discourses may unintentionally create a <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/article/2020/september/ppi---multiculturalism-is-the-ultimate-case-for-teaching-and-learning-asian-languages-in-australia">status of otherness</a> for Australia’s Chinese-born communities. Many of my students have told me they believe the universities see them as cash cows. They, in turn, consider themselves more as customers than learners.
To get ahead in the increasingly competitive global education market, Australia should integrate international students more meaningfully into its society. Ultimately, making these students feel proud of their contribution to Australian multiculturalism is probably the most sustainable way to strengthen their bonds with their host country.
<hr>
This article has been edited to clarify that the $10 billion contribution to the economy of Chinese international students is across the education sector.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148444/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yu-tao-325871">Yu Tao</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-western-australia-1067">University of Western Australia</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-australia-can-get-ahead-in-attracting-and-retaining-chinese-international-students-148444">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

5 ways Australia can get ahead in attracting Chinese international students

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Only 40 per cent of students in China who previously intended to study overseas still plan to, while just under 50 per cent of those who had studied overseas plan to return to their study after the borders reopen.
These are results from our unpublished survey of 1,012 students we conducted in China between June 5 and 15. We asked them whether they would continue with their plan to study abroad post COVID-19. 
These findings are not surprising. Due to growing tensions between China and the West – even before COVID-19 – middle-class parents in China had become increasingly concerned about the safety of, and possible discrimination against, their children abroad, including in the US and Australia.
The pandemic seems to have accelerated this trend.
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<h2>What students say about studying in Australia</h2>
Of the 1,012 students we surveyed, 404 had registered to study abroad in the next three years (in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore) and 608 had been studying overseas (including in Australia, US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Japan) before COVID-19 .
In the questionnaire, we presented interviewees with considerations and asked them to nominate which ones would influence their decision about whether to study in Australia after COVID-19, as well as in other countries.
The first group (group A) includes 304 students who had studied in Australia but who were not able to return due to travel restrictions.
Of these, 50 per cent were undergraduates, 42 per cent graduates, 5 per cent doctoral students, and 3 per cent vocational education or high school students.
The second group (group B) includes students who had never studied abroad before but had registered their intention to in the next three years, including in Australia, before COVID-19.
The second group also answered Australia-specific questions.
Not many students in either group considered issues such as more expensive air travel, less freedom in China and online lectures as critical factors influencing their decision to study in Australia.
But the two groups reacted to some factors quite differently. The students who had studied in Australia before considered the following factors as more critical to their decision:
<ul>
<li>
returnees with Australian degrees are not more competitive in China’s job market compared to graduates from top-tier universities in China
</li>
<li>
life is more convenient, safe and easier at home and I don’t want to go abroad to endure the hardship as a foreign student
</li>
<li>
improved political stability and economic prospects in China
</li>
<li>
less of a chance of landing a good job with an Australian degree in China
</li>
<li>
no need to go abroad if lectures are delivered online.
</li>
</ul>
The group of students who hadn’t yet studied in Australia but planned to, considered the following factors as critical:
<ul>
<li>
media reported cases of Chinese being “discriminated against” or “abused” in Australia
</li>
<li>
deterioration in Sino-Australia relations
</li>
<li>
not many outstanding returnees from Australia are visible in the media to represent the success of Australian education
</li>
<li>
Australian universities lowered the entry standard for foreign students due to COVID-19
</li>
<li>
Australian degrees are perceived to be less valuable compared to degrees from other English-speaking countries, especially the US and the UK, by HR personnel in China.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>What the students said</h2>
Not surprisingly, both groups considered the Chinese government’s warnings against visiting, or studying in, Australia important. A decision to study and live abroad is often made by the whole family in China. Official voices weigh significantly in such decisions.
A student who had done some of her master degree in a Melbourne university said:
After the Chinese New Year, Australian borders were closed to Chinese students due to COVID-19. Direct travel was not allowed. So I travelled to Thailand and spent 14 days in a small hotel in Bangkok before I landed in Melbourne. I had to be self-quarantined for 14 days in my rented room.
Then I found all lectures were moved online and the situation of COVID-19 became serious in Melbourne. The PM urged international students to go home. My parents were so worried. They paid for an over-priced air ticket and a quarantine-hotel in Shanghai for me for 14 days before I could go back to my hometown.
When the [Chinese] government announced the travel and study warnings, I couldn’t convince my parents that things aren’t that bad in Australia. They listened to the government and believed the ‘official voices’ rather than their own daughter.
There <a href="/news">have been cases</a> (though isolated ones) of Asians or Chinese people being bullied in Australia due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, social media in China <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/chinese-students-will-not-go-there-beijing-education-agents-warn-australia-20200610-p55151" target="_blank">often distorts such cases</a> and amplifies the (mis)perceptions. And the tensions between China and Australia have enhanced these negative perceptions.
Sending their children abroad was once a privilege for elites with intellectual, economic or political power in China. But this is now quite common among middle-class Chinese families.
Chinese families spend a large amount of money on their children’s education. Better opportunities (either in the host country or on returning home) after study abroad is an underlining reason Chinese families invest in their children.
Australia has attracted many Chinese students in recent decades. But if Chinese students with Australian degrees are less appreciated or less competitive compared to those who study in other countries or in local universities, families will look for other options.
A Chinese student who had been studying at a Sydney university told us:
We are the clients and the degrees are a commodity; we pay for our degrees. What if the commodity loses its value? The clients will surely walk away.
COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the number of Chinese students likely to study in Australia. But the downward trend started way before the pandemic.
Australian universities need to adjust their strategies for a future that will not only deliver value for Chinese students, but also strengthen a positive perception about this value.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141871/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marina-yue-zhang-543587" target="_blank">Marina Yue Zhang</a>, Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/students-in-china-heed-their-governments-warnings-against-studying-in-australia-141871" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Students in China heed government's warnings against studying in Australia

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In 2016-17 Australia’s third largest export, international education, leapt from A$23.6 billion to a record high of A$28 billion. Within the higher education sector, the highest intake of international students is of Chinese origin.
Behind these statistics are the individual stories and aspirations of Chinese students’ parents who provide them the financial resources and emotional support. Yet, we know so little about why it matters so much to their parents, and what long-term impacts overseas study has on them and their families when they return home.
Knowing what aspirations Chinese parents have for their children will help us understand what keeps our international education export industry vibrant today. And more importantly, sustainable tomorrow.
The shifting educational landscape in Shanghai-China
Focusing on a shifting landscape of education in Shanghai, I undertook a longitudinal pilot case-study of four bilingual kindergarten-secondary schools to investigate the aspirations Chinese middle-class parents have for their children’s education.
These schools are run privately. Their aim is to promote a dual stream model with a mission of implementing a bilingual “East-meets-West” education. Global competitiveness is driving the innovative change and quality of education in Shanghai.
In these schools, Chinese students are taught by local Chinese teachers in subjects like maths, Chinese language and values education. At the same time, they study a range of Western curriculum such as International Baccalaureate or General Certificate of Education at Advanced-Levels (the higher school certificate in the UK). These are co-taught by Western expatriate teachers and Chinese bilingual teachers, in subjects like English, arts, music, physical education, science and philosophy.
This emerging privatised education industry is a testament to how Shanghai-Chinese society is changing. By studying in such schools, their children can essentially opt out of the most stressful examination – the National University Entrance Examination (Gao Kao- 高考). In the eyes of Chinese middle-class parents, international education credentials open doors to the top jobs.
Under these circumstances, the provision of “international-local” school education has become the preferred choice for many Chinese middle-class families when it’s available and affordable to the local population.
In May this year, I went to Shanghai for a month to interview 46 Chinese middle-class parents whose children are attending such schools. Although they are from diverse educational and career backgrounds, a portion of these parents have overseas education credentials and are now doing well in Shanghai. There are also some whose close relatives or friends have either migrated or studied overseas.
A study from the UK of 652 Chinese international students after they returned home found the majority have experienced profound identity-transforming experiences with a renewed sense of self at home.
Today, Australia is an attractive destination for many Chinese students because of the ways the Australian international education system interacts with immigration policy. Not only will their children’s education at an Australian university be perceived as cultural capital for the family, they also want their children to gain post-study migration and employment opportunities.
‘Tiger’ or ‘chicken blood’ parents or neither
Students of Chinese ethnicity who are migrants in countries such as the UK and Australia are the highest performing ethnic group. Because of this, we are often led to believe it’s the high expectations Chinese parents have of their children that push them to perform well in schools.
But for some of these middle class Chinese parents I interviewed, who are successful in their educational experiences in China, they don’t want their children to have the same Chinese education they had. They want to avoid being parents of “chicken blood” (鸡血) – the Shanghai-Chinese term for demanding “tiger” mums or dads.
In their case, unlike what most research indicates about Chinese parenting styles, they want their children to have a broader worldview, to be fluent in English and Chinese, and still have a competitive edge over other local Chinese students without the stress of performing well academically.
Most of them have planned to send their children to study overseas because they did. Such attitudes and aspirations middle-class Chinese parents instil in their children make an important contribution to the continual influx of Chinese students to study in Western countries like Australia.
What next?
For Chinese international students who have returned home, they still aspire to provide a Western overseas education for their children. This is still significant in creating flexible citizenship for their child’s future.
For Australian international education, this means their children can potentially be second-generation international students. This is also why, for some of these middle class Chinese parents, the “East-meets-West” schooling system in Shanghai is a good option.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97257/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">If Australia is to remain a destination for world-class education, we need to be far more self-reflective and long-sighted about what Australian international education offers: global citizenship and transnational mobility. We need to listen to the voices of an increasing middle-class in China.
Hannah Soong, Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-we-know-about-why-chinese-students-come-to-australia-to-study-97257" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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What we know about why Chinese students come to Australia to study: Hannah Soong

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A new report from Secret Agent claims states changes to the student visa rules saves Chinese parents $360,000 and could potentially reignite a property boom.
Secret Agent claim any rational Chinese parent will rethink whether studying locally or in Australia can provide a better education and quality of life for their kids. Here, the best primary school education costs half as much compared to China.
The report states according to Lianjia, a Chinese real estate website, it will cost on average RMB ¥9,588,378 or AUD$1,982,708 to buy a 110-130sqm 3 bedroom apartment in one of Beijing’s popular public primary school zones.
<a href="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.14.41%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.14.41%20AM.png" alt=""> 
 
"Studying abroad, such as in Australia, has been a popular choice among wealthy parents in China. In a major city like Beijing, exam attendance has halved in the past decade, from 126,000 in 2006 to 61,000 today. At the same time, the number of students studying abroad has increased dramatically. Now, the Australian government has made studying in this country $360,000 more attractive," the report said.
"The first thing that Chinese parents want to do is to send their kids to a good primary school, and to do this they have to live in the right school zone, just like how it works here. 
"Local students can study for free in these public primary schools. However, each intake is limited and parents must be able to afford the equivalent of a AUD$2 million apartment in the school zone. The other option is for parents to send their children to the more expensive private international schools, whose tuition fees on average cost AUD$43,648 (RMB¥211,080) per year in Beijing."
<a href="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.17.54%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.17.54%20AM.png" alt=""> 
The report said The Victorian government, for example, charges about AUD$10,660 (RMB¥51,552) for international students to study in a public primary school.
"Melbourne’s private schools charge on average AUD $23,744 annually. Chinese parents will end up with a 50 percent savings by sending their kids to the best private primary schools in Melbourne instead of Beijing’s international schools," Secret Agent said.
<a href="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.19.39%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.19.39%20AM.png" alt=""> 
"After comparing recent property sales in some of our top performing public primary school zones, it was found that it costs AUD$1,380,180 on average to buy a 656sqm house in Melbourne’s school zones, compared to AUD $1,982,708 (¥9,588,378) for an apartment in Beijing.
<a href="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.20.32%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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"So how does the total savings add up to $360,000? The cost of living in Australia would also have to be taken into consideration. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has financial requirements that must be met in order to receive a student visa, which is a minimum spend of $18,610 per adult and $6,515 per child for each year they live in Australia.
<a href="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.24.20%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/10/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-10%20at%2010.24.20%20AM.png" alt="">
"To calculate the total spendings for a Chinese parent and his or her child to reside and study in Australia, a 10% increase on tuition fees and 2.5% inflation on minimum living costs in Australia was assumed. The result is a staggering saving of AUD$359,788 if Chinese parents chose to send their children to Australia instead of Beijing for primary school studies.
"The majority of the savings comes from the difference in property price between Melbourne and Beijing’s school zones, and this also applies to other major cities in China. The Australian government’s intention for the new visa policy is to improve our economy by exporting our education to overseas students. In Secret Agent’s opinion, under the current FIRB rules, the price of properties in good school zones will continue to accelerate. We could also see prime inner city properties start to become acquisition targets. Many of these period homes have been "off limits" to the foreign purchaser. This may no longer be the case. 
"If Chinese parents choose to send their children here for their studies, they will be considered as a temporary resident since they will remain in Australia for a continuous period of more than 12 months. Generally, temporary residents can purchase any residential real estate in Australia once they apply for and receive foreign investment approval. The downside is that they will have to sell the property within three months from when it ceases to be their principal place of residence. This makes off- the-plan townhouses the most attractive purchase to Chinese buyers, as they are cheaper and require less maintenance than big established houses. They can also be kept as an investment property once they leave Australia."
For more information from Secret Agent, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Chinese parents to save $360,000 from new student visa

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AC Property has earmarked the sales potential of student renters from China.
It suggests developers and agents can build a database of potential sales contacts that will buffer any property market downturn.
New research from <a href="https://www.acproperty.com.au/en/?australia_chinese_property_site" target="_blank">AC Property</a> shows that 56 percent of rental enquiries from these students request property purchasing information within seven months.
Esther Yong, director of AC Property said such figures suggest most Chinese student renters are already planning to buy a property when they first make a rental enquiry and she believes these rental enquiries may not only contain your next biggest sales lead, but could build a database that will ride you out while other investors wait for further policy changes before deciding their next move. 
"More foreign investment policies and lending restrictions have recently been imposed to deter foreigners from buying Australian properties, sparking concerns on property sales within the real estate industry," she said.
"One might expect this to result in slowing interest in property investment from overseas investors in the short term. However, let’s not forget the other groups of buyers who have stronger reasons to purchase properties in Australia, beyond building a wealthy portfolio – education and migration.
"While one might question their financial capability in purchasing properties, most Chinese students would still be receiving financial support from their families. Our survey shows that, a family will spend an average of $50,000 a year to support their studying child in Australia. Of these families, more than 85 percent are interested in receiving information about new development projects near their child’s university.
"Anecdotally, owning property, rather than renting, is also one of the highest priorities for a Chinese family.
"Therefore, It is not unusual to expect a well-financed Chinese student renter looking to buy shortly after they sign their rental contract."
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