Australian universities have three months to divulge their overseas educational activities as the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa) assumes oversight of offshore delivery. According to the regulatory body, institutions must submit detailed data by the end of October using a template spreadsheet distributed this month, covering everything from course levels and specific locations to specifics about business relationships with foreign partners.
Teqsa Regulatory Crackdown and Reporting Mandates
Under new regulatory obligations outlined in a recent consultation paper, Teqsa now holds responsibility for monitoring Australian courses taught overseas, with the exception of short exchange or research programmes. The agency must also approve any courses introduced from this year onward. Teqsa describes these initial requirements as preliminary arrangements designed to capture core facts, warning that requirements will be refined in later years to account for legislative changes and emerging risks.
Offshore Branch Campus Expansion in Asia
This regulatory push coincides with a proliferation of offshore ventures. Years of inertia regarding complex branch campuses have largely ended after India and Indonesia eased restrictions on the operations of foreign universities. Following pioneers Wollongong and Deakin, six more Australian institutions have either established campuses in the subcontinent or are actively planning to do so.
UNSW Sydney officially commenced classes in Bengaluru on 10 August, while Victoria University’s campus in Gurugram on the outskirts of New Delhi is scheduled to begin delivery on 24 August. Meanwhile, the University of Western Australia (UWA) plans to launch undergraduate courses in Mumbai this September, followed by postgraduate offerings in November across Mumbai and a second campus in Chennai. Western Sydney University (WSU) plans a campus at Greater Noida near New Delhi, while Flinders University is establishing itself in Bengaluru; both campuses are expected to accept students from 2027. La Trobe University also intends to open a Bengaluru campus, though an official timeline remains unannounced.
Group of Eight Shift and Indonesian Outposts
The entry of research heavyweights UNSW and UWA—both members of the Group of Eight (Go8)—is considered particularly significant. Aside from Monash University and its network, Go8 institutions have historically avoided establishing international branch campuses altogether. Monash opened the archipelago’s first foreign university branch campus in Tangerang near Jakarta in 2021. Deakin followed suit last year in Bandung by partnering with Lancaster University and the private international education chain Navitas, while WSU launched a campus in Surabaya.
Sri Lanka has also attracted Australian providers. Charles Sturt University recently commenced classes at a joint campus, following outposts established by Edith Cowan and Curtin in 2023 and 2024.
Financial Pressures and the Chinese Market Shift
Beyond physical campuses, universities have launched dozens of less ambitious offshore delivery ventures. Swinburne University claimed bragging rights as the first institution to offer Australian degrees in Qatar by partnering with Barzan University College in Doha. However, these expansions have come with several false starts. Charles Darwin University called off its plan for a branch campus in London, Central Queensland University’s ambition for bases in Sumatra and Sulawesi never eventuated, and the University of Wollongong is still awaiting approval from the Saudi Ministry of Education for a planned Riyadh campus now hoped for in 2027.
According to Charles Sun, managing director of Beijing-based consultancy China Education International, the question of how to make TNE work financially keeps university leaders awake at night. Sun noted that while Chinese families are not losing confidence in Australian education, they are asking harder questions regarding cost, value, certainty and employability amid an uncomfortable decline in interest from Chinese students. Sun described this decline as a signal for institutions to redesign partnerships rather than abandon them.
Did You Know? Monash University operates a longstanding joint PhD programme with the Mumbai’s Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Teqsa’s role in offshore Australian education?
Teqsa is responsible for monitoring Australian courses taught overseas, approving courses introduced from this year, and collecting details on international business relationships and enrolments.
When is the deadline for Australian universities to report offshore activities?
Universities and colleges must supply details regarding their offshore ventures via a template spreadsheet by the end of October.
Why are Australian universities opening campuses in India and Indonesia?
Both India and Indonesia relaxing their rules for foreign universities helped break a long period of stagnation, occurring at a time when international tuition revenue faces risks from a federal crackdown and shrinking interest in foreign credentials from China.
Stay Updated on Higher Education Policy
Keep reading