What a sad conformist approach by would-be-exporters with a mediocre marketing mindset.
Old-way methods are long overdue for a shake-up from logicians such as Oliver, and modern marketing ideas making use of such a knowledgeable large mass of virtually cost-free communicators ought to be well-planned and ready to launch.
This human media is priceless in both monetary and effectiveness terms.
Well argued, Oliver.

Having researched the experience of students and stakeholders in international education, I agree, too many aspects of international education have been ignored.

However, as the writer highlights, the barriers are almost entirely onshore.... as a UK VC complained, 'we have all these international students paying full fees yet we treat them as nuisance to be tolerated' or similar from a European working in international student recruitment in Oz university 'we have all these international students on campus but we don't really know how they got here'.... suggesting evaluation of international activity is not conducted?

Following is link to blog I wrote sometime ago touching on issues:

'Does Australia want international students?

Most working in or with international education, plus international students, see the sector as a great success, but why not Australians in general?

If one takes notice of news reports and reader comments from mainstream Australian media related to international education, “foreign students”, student visas, work rights, immigration outcomes and population, they are overwhelmingly negative.'

Continues here http://tinyurl.com/ohz84bk

Concluding....

'However, as the AUD value recedes and some visa benefits filter through leading to increased numbers of international students (apparently from same core markets), this success will be viewed by media as negative due to increased “population growth” and “immigration”.

Will any current federal politician or industry, in Australia’s poisonous political arena, be prepared to raise their head above the parapet (as some state premiers have done) and state unequivocally that international education with hosting of international students from Asia and the rest of the globe, is good for Australia and all Australians?

If not, too many Australians will continue to view international students and education as a negative, while our neighbours may view Australia’s obsession about security, immigration and population growth, as being tolerant of intolerance?'