International students will receive better mental health support.
The Morrison Government is providing $200,000 to research:
- mental health supports and services available to international students,
- challenges to engage international students with help, and
- best-practice examples.
Australia hosted 693,750 international students in 2018 with the sector contributing $37.6 billion to the economy and supporting 240,000 jobs.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said improving access to mental health support for international students was the right thing to do.
“We have a moral duty to ensure the international students who study in Australia are supported to succeed in their studies and that includes support to maintain their mental health,” Mr Tehan said.
“This research project is an opportunity to work together for the good of our sector and for the good of students to ensure international students access mental health support when they need it.”
Mental Health Consultants Orygen will undertake the research. Orygen Executive Director Professor Pat McGorry AO said the research would explore ways the sector could improve its response to mental health and safety issues for international students.
“We know from our 2017 report Under the Radar: the mental health of Australian university students that many of these students experience a number of risk factors for poor mental health and wellbeing,” Professor McGorry said.
“This project is an opportunity to both build on our previous knowledge in this area and complement the work currently being undertaken by Orygen to develop a National University Mental Health Framework.”
