Phil Honeywood presenting 'Beyond the headlines' at ATLAS26
Australia's international education sector is no stranger to change. Behind the latest policy announcements are important questions about competitiveness, student experience and where future growth will come from.
As part of the ATLAS26 Speaker Series, ECU welcomed the Hon Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), for an ECU-exclusive session, Beyond the Headlines, offering a candid assessment of what is really happening across the sector.
Here are five key takeaways:
- ECU has navigated well current challenges with international growth
Mr Honeywood noted that ECU has been performing well in 2026 with its international enrolments, while many universities continue to grapple with a complex policy environment. Within a managed system, the opportunity is to diversify where student interest comes from, and build resilience across markets, courses and delivery models.
He also described ECU City as "an anchor for international education in Western Australia", highlighting its potential to strengthen Perth's appeal and provide a visible hub for international students in the heart of the city.
Together with ECU's strong community focus and industry-aligned courses, ECU City provides the University with a distinctive platform for targeted, diversified and sustainable international growth.
- Student visa costs risk weakening Australia's appeal
Mr Honeywood was direct about Australia's increasing student visa application fees, describing them as "wrong on so many levels".
In the past two years, the cost of a standard subclass 500 student visa has risen from $710 to $2,500 in the latest change from 1 July. The fee is non-refundable.
He warned that the combined cost of student and post-study work visas is affecting Australia's competitiveness, particularly in price-sensitive markets. Latin America was identified as one region where Australia has already lost significant ground.
Australia nevertheless retains important advantages, including strong post-study work rights and the ability for partners of eligible students to work. The challenge is ensuring escalating costs do not outweigh these benefits.
- Australia's competitive advantage cannot be taken for granted
Australia's key competitor destinations are confronting their own challenges. Canada's student caps have left many institutions recruiting below their allocations. The United Kingdom has tightened rules on student dependants and reduced post-study work rights, while proposed policy changes could impose further costs on providers. The United States has increased scrutiny of international applicants, and New Zealand's ambition to double international enrolments is being hindered by visa-processing delays.
Australia still has unique differentiators, but Mr Honeywood warned that rising costs, policy uncertainty and competition from a growing number of study destinations are eroding that position.
He raised concerns about increasingly centralised student visa assessment, where applications may be reviewed without sufficient understanding of individual circumstances.
He shared the example of two government-sponsored international students from another provider, whose visas were refused despite their clear intention to return to government employment after their studies. IEAA is now seeking deidentified cases from universities to demonstrate where generic assessment may be producing unintended outcomes.
New requirements for students changing providers could improve integrity and protect institutions from significant post-commencement attrition. However, the broader system must still distinguish effectively between genuine students and higher-risk applications.
- Transnational education is now a strategic capability for universities
Transnational education provides new ways to reach students and build international partnerships.
Mr Honeywood pointed to established offshore campuses such as Monash University Malaysia and RMIT University Vietnam, observing that their success can affect the number of students choosing to travel to Australia. He also noted China's growing encouragement of 3+1 partnerships, through which students complete most of their degree at home before undertaking a final year overseas.
For ECU, the opportunity is to grow offshore and onshore delivery as one connected portfolio – expanding access while supporting sustainable student mobility.
- Future growth must align with ECU's strengths
Future international growth will increasingly be linked to Australia's jobs and skills needs. Mr Honeywood identified fields such as mining and allied health as areas where ECU can connect its academic strengths with workforce demand.
With significant purpose-built student accommodation development underway, Perth has an opportunity to strengthen its position as an international education destination while generating jobs and limiting pressure on the existing rental market.
Phil Honeywood's Beyond the Headlines session was well received by the ECU community. Reflecting on the session, Associate Director, Load Planning, Leontine Baars-Scotney said Mr Honeywood's insights provided valuable context for the University's future growth.
Keeping students at the centre
"Phil's presentation showed that sustainable growth depends on understanding the full environment around student demand - from visa policy and affordability to skills needs and changing market behaviour. These insights can help ECU make informed choices about where we focus and how we build a diverse and resilient international student portfolio."
L – R: Jake Garman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor International and Vice President; Phil Honeywood, CEO IEAA; Marko Remes, Dean, International Business Operations
Despite the sector's policy and commercial complexity, Mr Honeywood concluded by returning to its fundamental purpose.
"Why do we do what we do? We love making dreams come true."
He emphasised that institutions also have a duty of care to support international students throughout their time in Australia.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Vice-President, Jake Garman, said ECU's student focus would remain central to its international ambitions.
"ECU is well positioned to build on its distinctive strengths, including our strong sense of community, industry-aligned courses and compelling value proposition. By combining informed market choices with genuine care for our students, we can pursue international growth that is sustainable and creates value for ECU, our students and the wider community."
