Turning our world class universities into competing businesses, is arguably following America down a fundamentally flawed path? A path that virtually must discriminate in favour of cashed up foreigners; rather than our best and brightest, who will between them, determine our future and universal prosperity.
We need to follow outstanding examples like Germany, which still makes and sells things to the rest of the world.
We cannot afford during any part of the Asian century to fall behind, but rather lead and continue to punch well above our weight in science and technical innovation. Our very survival as free and egalitarian democracy may well depend on it?
15.8 billion may seem like a lot of money, but very easily replaced in triplicate, by long overdue quite massive tax reform and simplification! Rhrosty.

That's very interesting Peter.

Perhaps you could tell us what the tax payer funding is, & what sort of return on investment that represents to the tax payer.

That just goes to show the stupidity of it all. Exporting education instead of importing it. It's akin to selling bombs to Terrorist organisations.
Those who get this education will never go into the countries where enlightenment is needed.

There may be some revenue for a handful of people here but the bulk of the benefit moves out of Australia. Eventually it comes back to bite us because this education is purely theoretic & lacking social context. It's the social component that makes a society function, education for education's sake merely keeps the wheel in the same rut. The best education is of no use when the mentality to use it is lacking.
So, the cycle of stupidity goes on.

And what is the real cost when these "cashed up foreigners" are deficient in English?