IHEA CEO sounds alarm over the release of private provider caps

Peter Hendy, chief executive officer of Independent Higher Education Australia, has raised concerns about individual caps on new overseas students commencements being shared publicly.

The PIE understands that such caps are set to be released at the next public hearing, scheduled for October 2.

“The department of education has furnished the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee with individual provider caps for international students as part of the inquiry into the ESOS Bill,” wrote Hendy in e-mail communications to the leaders of independent providers.

“As of this moment, this information remains confidential. However, it is important to note that the Senate Committee may elect to make this information publicly available.”

Despite IHEA “strongly advising” the department against the public release of the data, citing its “commercially sensitive nature”, Hendy signalled the likely nature of the move.

“We have clearly communicated that this information should be treated as commercial-in-confidence… Despite our efforts, I must forewarn you that there is a considerable likelihood the Senate Committee will proceed with releasing this information.

Hendy’s assessment is based on the Committee’s previous approach in handling similar information pertaining to public universities – the indicative numbers given to public universities were made public earlier this month during a Senate hearing.

The government’s National Planning Level for 2025 set a proposed overall cap of 270,000 new international student commencements for across all provider types.

Publicly funded universities have been allocated 145,000 new international student commencements while this number is set at around 30,000 for other private universities and for non-university higher education providers. Meanwhile, VET providers face a cap of 95,000 new international student commencements.

Eve Ollerenshaw, pro vice chancellor and general manager group quality, accreditation and compliance at NextEd Group told The PIE: “The problem is not that we’re sharing the information with the Senate committee. I don’t think that’s an issue in the slightest. It’s the fact that it will therefore likely become publicly available information and not every provider out there has declared what their caps are.”

“In a private enterprise environment, the government should not be easily jeopardising businesses at a critical time in their in their career, in their history, by potentially disclosing their incredible financial vulnerability,” said Ollerenshaw, who is also an IHEA board member.

The government should not be easily jeopardising businesses at a critical time in their in their career

Eve Ollerenshaw, IHEA board member

“My position is that this is a concerted attempt by the current federal Labor Government to undermine and completely depose the principals of private education within the tertiary sector, as is the entire ESOS amendment bill with those incredible powers desked with one minister and the disproportionate and inaccurate capping model that has been done.”