Global Horizons - The Australian International Education Podcast

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Global Horizons, I'm doing something a bit different.
With the 40th AIEC conference coming up at speed, I decided to take a solid look through the program and start trying to figure out what I might attend.
... ouch... it was a LOT harder than I expected, because there's just so much on the agenda this year!
If you haven't yet had a chance to look through the agenda, this short episode will give you an idea of what's coming... and why it's super important to lock in your place at the conference sooner rather than later!
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