Flinders University has told The Advertiser that an urgent plan is needed to bring international students back to South Australia, as new figures reveal Covid-19’s hit to the state’s $2 billion sector.

New enrolments have dropped by 33 per cent, while the current cohort of international students studying with SA universities, TAFE and schools has shrunk by 12 per cent compared with March last year.

Enrolments from China, the state’s biggest international student market, have dropped by 20 per cent, while new enrolments from the second biggest market, India, dropped 35 per cent while borders remain closed.

Flinders University Vice-President and Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) Sebastian Raneskold said while Australia’s initial border closure had been very effective to manage Covid-19, the decline in international students would have significant flow-on effects for SA’s economy and was “deeply concerning” for universities.

“We are ready to welcome back our students immediately, and urge the federal government to swiftly make this a reality. This could include dedicated quarantining facilities for international students to ensure their return doesn’t affect general repatriation efforts,” Mr Raneskold said.

The state government is considering a facility, separate to SA’s medi-hotels, as part of its plan to bring international students back, but has yet to send the proposal to the federal government.

“The longer we delay their return, the slower the state’s economic recovery will be and the poorer our social fabric will be,” Mr Raneskold said. “As we have come to understand the disease, it has become clear that with careful quarantining, supported by increasing rates of vaccination, our students should be able to return to SA to resume their studies.”

Mr Raneskold said international students created jobs in the local economy, supported “innumerable local businesses”, deepened cultural understanding and built valuable links.

International student enrolments dropped to 7365 in March this year, compared to about 11,000 the year before. The current cohort declined from 35,200 in March 2020 to 32,040 this year, new federal education department figures show. But SA performed better than most other states, so students already in Australia may have transferred to SA providers from other states.

The full report can be read via The Advertiser website (subscribers only).