Pat Evans, Executive Director and Head of Education Taskforce at Austrade, distributed Austrade's first International Marketing of Education - transition update on 27 April 2010 to the international education sector, outlining the forthcoming changes.

On 1 July, responsibility for the international promotion and marketing of education will be transferred from Australian Education International (AEI) to Austrade, which has had a long involvement with education, with an existing international network of more than 70 people experienced in working with Australian education organisations and familiar with the opportunities in their markets.

The development and ongoing management of Austrade's international marketing and promotion strategy will be influenced by consultations with key stakeholders, and Austrade will provide more detail on their consultation and engagement process in that time. They will continue to work in close collaboration with AEI, particularly as it will retain responsibility for international education policy and government-to-government relations.

Austrade outlines a number of key points regarding their new responsibilities:
* The existing international AEI counsellor network will not transfer to Austrade. These counsellor positions will remain within AEI/DEEWR.
* The existing international AEI counsellor positions will remain, with the exception of those in Chile, Brussels and Dubai, which have been discontinued by AEI/DEEWR.
* Austrade will have three new Education Trade Commissioner roles based offshore in Chile, Vietnam and Greater China. These positions will be announced shortly.
* Some of AEI's overseas-based staff will transfer to Austrade and some will remain within AEI/DEEWR to support the international AEI counsellor network. Specific details will be provided once confirmed.
* Austrade is establishing an Australian-based education unit, focused on developing and implementing a global education strategy. The National Education Manager will be announced shortly.
* A number of staff from AEI Canberra will transfer to Austrade.
* Austrade will assume responsibility for the Study in Australia brand including website and the delivery of the Market Information Package (MIP) service to subscribers.

More: To receive International Marketing of Education - transition update to be distributed fortnightly over the next two months with information on the transition process, contact educationtransition@austrade.gov.au