Global Horizons - The Australian International Education Podcast

The lanyards are off, the exhibition hall is packed away, and the dust is finally settling on AIEC’s 40th anniversary conference in Sydney.
By the time I got home on the Friday night, I hugged my family, apologised, and went straight to bed with my laptop to watch YouTube for two hours. Something I never do. Dirk, meanwhile, was in bed by eight… after a week of 1am finishes writing up stories for The Koala.
So naturally, our first chat back is a bit of a debrief. But it’s also so much more than that, because the news hasn’t stopped just because we all needed a nap.
The Department of Home Affairs has opened a consultation on strengthening financial capacity requirements, and three of the four options on the table would require students to park their funds in an Australian bank account before applying for a visa. Wait, for how long? And what happens if the exchange rate moves the wrong way? That question took me straight back to a very bad morning in our early AIM Overseas days, a $15,000 Oxford program and a currency that tanked overnight…
In this episode of the Koala International Education News, presented by Global Horizons, Dirk and I get into:

Dirk’s main-stage panel on the changing Big Four, and why AIEC 2027 is heading to the Gold Coast a little later than usual
The four Home Affairs options, the forex risk families could face, and why you should write a submission before 23 November, even as an individual
120 student reps from more than 30 institutions gathering for the International Student Representative Council
New Zealand’s student survey: a 90% approval rating from over 6,000 students… and the part-time work gap that sounds very familiar
My big five-year prediction for how universities will have to rethink learning, and the vice-chancellor who replied “Sounds like a job for the humanities”

We also raise a glass to the Blue Mountains Hotel Management School turning 35 and CAUDIT turning 50.

My brain was still a little fried from the conference, so you might catch me babbling once or twice. But I think you’ll enjoy this one.

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

Lots to talk about in this week's Koala News episode of the Global Horizons podcasts.
We've got massive cuts to migration on the table as official Opposition policy. Increases to TEQSA fees for education providers. Merger chatter heating up in the west, and so much more!
Buckle up as we careen towards AIEC... now just two weeks to go!

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 Malicki sits down with AIEC conference organiser Catania Aviles for a behind-the-scenes look at the 40th Australian International Education Conference in Sydney.
With just a few weeks to go, Catania shares what it takes to bring a major sector event together, from signage and sponsor logistics to the expo hall, delegate experience and the final details that make AIEC work.
This year’s conference is a major milestone, marking 40 years of AIEC. Rob and Catania discuss the special anniversary elements, including the AIEC Museum, a 40th anniversary panel featuring people connected to the history and future of the conference, and a conference-wide celebration of international education.
In this episode, we cover:
✅ The final preparations for AIEC 2026 in Sydney
✅ The 40th anniversary celebrations
✅ Why this year’s conference matters for the sector
✅ Innovation Alley and the role of education technology
✅ The retro 1986 conference celebration on Kensington Street
✅ Key speakers including Annabel Crabb, Michael McQueen and Julia Gillard
The episode also includes a preview of the expo, the conference celebration, the International Education Badge, the AIEC quest, the fun run and a few surprises, including one very famous 1980s car.
If you are heading to AIEC, this episode is a great way to get ready. If you are still thinking about registering, it might be the nudge you need.
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.auGlobal Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: ⁠https://aiec.idp.com

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

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