Education exports seen as economic growth 'catalyst'

24/4/02
The State Government has begun a major push to increase Western Australia's exports of education services.
Part of its strategy is the formation of a Ministerial Education Exports Advisory Committee, chaired by State Development Minister Clive Brown and comprising senior representatives from Government and the private sector.
Mr Brown said that although education services represented WA's eighth largest industry sector and brought $600million into our economy, this could be significantly improved.
The advisory committee will play a key role by identifying these development opportunities - a task it has already begun at its first meeting today.
"I believe this sector is a key to unlocking the much larger benefits of a knowledge-based economy," the Minister said.
"Our Government is taking a broader perspective, which sees the export of education services as vital to our move towards an economy that has knowledge and education at its core.
"I see education as the catalyst for economic development.
"It links and promotes research and development, skills/knowledge retention and acquisition, enterprise development, investment attraction, export of education services and infrastructure development."
The new advisory body has representatives from key stakeholders such as the peak industry body, Perth Education City; universities; Departments of Industry and Technology, Education, Training; the WA Tourism Commission, the Premier's Science Council, CSIRO, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA.
Mr Brown said a broad strategy to better co-ordinate and promote the export of education services and to provide the catalyst for economic development had been prepared.
The strategy was part of a whole-of-government approach and was supported by the Ministers for Education and Training.
Minister's office: 9222 9699