Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (17:52): A former Prime Minister, the late E.G. Whitlam, ever the great internationalist and education advocate, said in his 1974 speech to his alma mater, Knox Grammar School:
I should like to think that the most enduring result of our policies on education has been to raise the community's level of expectation.
What an inspiring and uplifting national goal. Our neighbours in Victoria like to think that they are the "Education State". They like the name so much it is printed on their numberplates. Not to hurt our southern neighbour's pride, but I like to think that our great State of New South Wales deserves an even better title, "The Great International Education State", because it has developed a great global reputation as a destination for overseas students to learn, live and thrive as part of their educational journey and as part of our society. New South Wales is among the top 10 destinations in the world for international education. Our State attracts many students from overseas, particularly from the Asia‑Pacific region, because they know that in New South Wales they will receive the finest education anywhere in the world.
Only this week the 2024 QS World University Rankings were released, and New South Wales punches well above its weight. Our State has two universities that now sit in the top global 20: my alma mater, the University of Sydney, and the University of New South Wales. Those two great universities rank higher than some American Ivy League institutions and some of the prestigious universities in our region like the University of Hong Kong. I am also proud to say that, even in my own backyard of south-west Sydney, Western Sydney University, which includes 13 modern, state‑of‑the‑art campuses, ranks in the top 2 per cent in the world—not bad for a university that has been open for only a little over three decades. Of course, history tells me that it was E.G. Whitlam who gave WSU its first land in Campbelltown, a great legacy that he left for his local community in south‑west Sydney.
The universities and tertiary education institutions in New South Wales all provide many thousands of international students with the best academic and research opportunities to prepare them for tomorrow. From science to business to humanities, the world's brightest minds are being shaped and equipped in New South Wales to lead the innovation of now and the future. Most importantly, being a hub of international education brings our State countless economic and social benefits and opportunities. Our State is open and cosmopolitan. The diversity in language, culture and lived experiences that international students bring only adds to our State's character. Additionally, those from overseas provide us with diverse ideas and worldviews that enlighten our discourse and enrich our common intellectual tapestry. Even more, international students contribute greatly to our domestic economy.
International students become leaders and innovators in their professions and industries, incorporating our State's values in their work and building networks that all come back to New South Wales. Through international education, our State leaves its biggest mark on the world, which strengthens our global economic and cultural influence. The Government recognises that and is committed to keeping our State as a centre for exceptional international education and promoting its reputation as such. Study NSW, which is in my portfolio, provides all the information and resources that students coming from overseas need to be supported in their decision to study at our first-class educational institutions.
The Government understands that moving overseas can be a challenging and daunting experience, especially for younger students—for example, those who are doing their undergraduate degrees. But we want to help those students so that their focus is on the exciting opportunities available in New South Wales. International education is important to New South Wales. It is one of the main ways we engage with the world to harness economic and social opportunities for the people of our great State so that everyone will call us the "Great International State of Australia". As a former international student myself, I say that it is a wonderful experience for anybody to have. New South Wales and Australia provide a warm and welcoming opportunity for those students to learn, contribute and take something back to their home countries and make their own contributions to the world.
