They’re calling us crooks.

They’re dragging ghost colleges and sex trafficking scandals back into the headlines.
And they’re using 2-year-old reports to do it.

In this episode of Global Horizons, Dirk Mulder and Rob Malicki peel back the media spin, political rhetoric, and tired narratives muddying Australia’s international education sector — and reveal the truth behind the headlines. The data’s fresh, the commentary is sharp, and the call to action is clear: it’s time to challenge the noise and stand up for a sector doing far better than it’s being given credit for.

Along the way, Rob recounts a picture-perfect morning atop Mt Wellington during the IEAA Learning Abroad Forum in Hobart, while Dirk shares a forensic breakdown of his latest Koala News piece – a must-read that unpacks the real story behind recent ASQA data, the Southern Cross University coverage, and the overuse of terms like “crooks” and “integrity.”

From New Colombo Plan shifts to AI-driven microcredentials, it’s a wide-ranging episode packed with insight, frustration, hope… and a few strong words.

You’ll hear about:

• Why recent media headlines are misleading – and what the data actually says

• What the sector needs to understand about evolving political rhetoric

• What’s changing in the New Colombo Plan – and how institutions are adapting

• Powerful takeaways from Brad Dorahy’s longitudinal study on learning abroad

• A keynote moment at the Hobart forum that had people in tears

• The unsung value of Sydney’s international student welcome desk

• A powerful reminder that trust is international education’s greatest currency

  
  

Plus: Rob Lawrence joins Koala News, and the team reflects on the emotional power of collegiality in the learning abroad sector.

We are incredibly proud to be the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OFFICIAL podcast of the AIEC Australian International Education Conference... registrations are open now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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 [email protected]