Global Horizons - The Australian International Education Podcast

Global Society

Global Horizons is Australia’s international education podcast. Each episode is focused on the stories that make our industry just so great to work in. Sometimes the stories will be industry news and current affairs. Other times, we’ll dive into a guest's personal career and travel stories on the show. We’ll also have episodes dedicated to unpacking industry trends or helping you to understand the nuances of one of international education’s many specialisations, like learning abroad, compliance, marketing and more. Our goal is to showcase the stories, knowledge and impact of our industry.

  1. 5d ago

    Sinking Australia: Cuts to Migration and International Ed To Smash the Economy

    Rob Malicki and Dirk Mulder of The Koala News are back, recorded the morning after a brutal sporting weekend for Dirk. The main event is Tony Burke's National Press Club address. Student and temporary graduate visa holders will generally no longer be able to include family members, with exceptions for PhD candidates and some government-sponsored programs. Moving provider will require a new visa application. Subsequent student visas will generally only be granted for progression to a higher-level qualification. T he 2027 National Planning Level stays at 295,000. Rob's take: stopping dependants who share a house and a car does nothing for cost of living, and cutting third-year backpacker visas from 31,000 to 5,000 pulls 26,000 workers out of regional Australia. Lots more is packed into this episode too! See you at AIEC in three weeks! Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia's Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host.The podcast wouldn't be possible without The Koala News, Australia's international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia's unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets.Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: https://aiec.idp.com

    Sinking Australia: Cuts to Migration and International Ed To Smash the Economy
  2. Sep 25

    Why Education Agents Still Matter in the Age of AI

    In this special edition of Global Horizons, Dirk Mulder sits down with Sunil Jaggi, Managing Director of Auscan Consultants and committee member of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India. Recorded on Larrakia country in Darwin during a StudyNT agent familiarisation visit, the conversation explores how the role of the education agent has changed over the past 25 years, from fax machines and postal applications to AI, ChatGPT and students arriving with far more information than ever before. Sunil reflects on his own experience as a former international student, why agents remain important in helping students make informed decisions, and why “fit” matters more than rankings alone. The episode also looks at the value of agent familiarisation tours, with Sunil explaining how visiting Darwin has changed his understanding of the Northern Territory, its lifestyle, its community, its institutions and the opportunities available to international students. In this episode, we cover: ✅ Sunil Jaggi’s journey from international student to education agent✅ How student recruitment has changed over 25 years✅ Why agents still matter in the age of AI✅ The importance of fit when choosing a course and destination✅ What StudyNT’s Darwin familiarisation visit revealed✅ Current student confusion around Australian policy changes The conversation also touches on the T20 Top End cricket tournament, Darwin’s accessibility and community feel, and the uncertainty many students and agents are currently facing as Australia considers further changes to migration and international education settings. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia's unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aiec.idp.com

  3. Sep 17

    International Education News

    In this episode of Global Horizons, Rob and Dirk work through a packed international education runsheet, moving from Australia-Africa university collaboration to regulation, New Zealand’s export recovery and student accommodation. The episode begins with Australia-Africa Week in Perth, where the Australia Africa Universities Network launched its 2030 strategy and made the case for higher education, research and training to become a central pillar of Australia-Africa relations. Rob and Dirk then turn to the federal government’s move to suspend and cancel CRICOS registrations for the BSB80120 Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning), asking whether banning one course will actually fix the onshore pipeline, or simply push the market somewhere else. The conversation also looks across the Tasman, where New Zealand’s international education exports have climbed back above pre-Covid levels, despite student numbers remaining below their 2019 peak. In this episode, we cover: ✅ Australia-Africa university collaboration and the AAUN 2030 strategy✅ The BSB80120 ban and Australia’s onshore pipeline✅ Why course bans may not fix deeper business model problems✅ New Zealand’s international education export recovery✅ Vale to Mick Stevens✅ Student accommodation and the new Gender-Based Violence Code It is a wide-ranging episode about partnerships, policy, regulation, recovery and practical questions facing the international education sector. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia's unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. For guest suggestions and feedback, email podcast@globalsociety.com.au Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: ⁠⁠⁠https://aiec.idp.com

  4. Sep 7

    Why International Education Needs a Better National Conversation

    In this episode of Global Horizons, Rob Malicki and Dirk Mulder return with a wide-ranging news discussion covering Nepal, the Northern Territory, student accommodation, sector advocacy and the growing divide between state and federal views on international education. The episode begins with the devastating news from Nepal, and Rob and Dirk reflect on the deep connections between Nepal and Australia’s international education community. Dirk then shares highlights from his time in Darwin, where StudyNT used the Top End T20 cricket tournament as a smart platform to tell the Northern Territory’s international education story to key markets across South Asia. Rob and Dirk also discuss the growing support for international education from state leaders, the federal government’s migration settings, and Carolyn Evans’ National Press Club speech about the risks of cutting back on migration, skills and international student enrolments without considering the consequences. In this episode, we cover: ✅ The tragic news from Nepal✅ Dirk’s visit to Darwin and the StudyNT story✅ The Top End T20 cricket tournament✅ State government support for international education✅ Carolyn Evans’ National Press Club speech✅ Student accommodation and PBSA developments The episode also looks at the opening of more student accommodation at Griffith Gold Coast, the need for tenancy rules that recognise student housing models, and the upcoming ISANA, English Australia and AIEC conferences. It is a thoughtful episode about tragedy, recovery, advocacy, housing, politics and the continuing need to tell the story of international education clearly and confidently. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia's unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. For guest suggestions and feedback, email podcast@globalsociety.com.au Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: ⁠⁠⁠https://aiec.idp.com

    Why International Education Needs a Better National Conversation
  5. Sep 3

    Robyn Cahill on International Education in the Northern Territory

    In this special edition of Global Horizons, Dirk Mulder sits down with Northern Territory Minister Robyn Cahill in Darwin. Recorded on Larrakia country, the conversation explores what international education means to the Northern Territory, and why the Territory sees international students as central to its community, workforce, economy and future. The episode begins with reflections on the devastating floods and landslides in Nepal, and the impact on the Nepalese student community in the Northern Territory. From there, Dirk and Minister Cahill discuss what makes Darwin and the Northern Territory different: its multicultural community, close connection to Asia, strong employment pathways, relaxed lifestyle and deep sense of welcome. They also explore the role of StudyNT, the importance of air connectivity, the Territory’s growing focus on Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and the clever use of T20 cricket to tell the StudyNT story into key international markets. In this episode, we cover: ✅ The Northern Territory’s international education story✅ Darwin’s multicultural community and lifestyle✅ Why Nepal matters deeply to the StudyNT community✅ The Territory’s connection to Asia✅ Employment pathways for international students✅ StudyNT’s sponsorship of T20 cricket Minister Cahill also makes the case for why the Northern Territory needs a different national conversation on migration and international students. This is a conversation about welcome, opportunity, community and why international education matters so much to the future of the Territory. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia’s unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. For guest suggestions and feedback, email ⁠podcast@globalsociety.com.au⁠ Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: ⁠⁠https://aiec.idp.com

    Robyn Cahill on International Education in the Northern Territory
  6. Aug 21

    Tourism Australia has a $13.5 billion dollar vulnerability it doesn't want to admit

    Tourism Australia has a $13.5 billion vulnerability hiding in plain sight. Its new Tourism 2035 strategy talks about growing visitor spending, encouraging longer stays and extracting more value from tourism. But international education barely gets a look in. That’s remarkable when education-related visitors generated $15.3 billion in tourism expenditure, compared with $13.5 billion from holiday visitors. In this episode of Global Horizons, Dirk Mulder and I dig into what that omission says about the way Australia thinks about international education, tourism and migration. We also get into: • The state of Learning Abroad after this year’s national forum • Whether Australia should rediscover the humble study tour • What the latest Navitas Agent Perception Survey tells us about changing student behaviour • Why AI might actually make good education agents more important • The international education conference season ahead And, naturally, Dirk tells us about the time he unexpectedly found himself standing in front of up to 2,000 students in India with absolutely nothing prepared. Just another quiet week in international education. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia’s unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: https://aiec.idp.com

    Tourism Australia has a $13.5 billion dollar vulnerability it doesn't want to admit
  7. Aug 12

    What Higher Education Can Learn from Great Brands

    In this episode of Global Horizons, Rob Malicki sits down with Rick Chapman on the shores of Balmoral Beach in Sydney. Rick’s career started in fast-moving consumer goods, working with iconic brands including Guinness, Arnott’s, Tim Tams, Kit Kat and Milo. He then made the move into education, bringing deep marketing and brand experience into a sector with a very different purpose. Rob and Rick talk about what makes a great brand, why creativity still matters, and what higher education can learn from consumer marketing. They also explore the challenge of telling the story of Australian education. Universities and education providers have so much to say, but often struggle to communicate their value clearly and consistently. In this episode, we cover: ✅ Rick’s career in consumer marketing✅ What made Guinness such a powerful brand✅ The move from FMCG into education✅ Why higher education needs stronger brand thinking✅ The challenge of telling Australia’s education story✅ Why relationships still matter in international education This is a conversation about marketing, storytelling, relationships and the value of education. It is also a reminder that while the tools of marketing keep changing, the fundamentals still matter: know your audience, tell a clear story, and build trust over time. Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia’s unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: https://aiec.idp.com

    What Higher Education Can Learn from Great Brands

About

Global Horizons is Australia’s international education podcast. Each episode is focused on the stories that make our industry just so great to work in. Sometimes the stories will be industry news and current affairs. Other times, we’ll dive into a guest's personal career and travel stories on the show. We’ll also have episodes dedicated to unpacking industry trends or helping you to understand the nuances of one of international education’s many specialisations, like learning abroad, compliance, marketing and more. Our goal is to showcase the stories, knowledge and impact of our industry.

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