Perhaps it’s time we chose them.

That line sits near the heart of this episode of Global Horizons, and it lands with a bit of a thud — in the best possible way.

In this news episode, Rob Malicki and Dirk Mulder are both on the road: Rob in a rainy Brisbane on Turrbal and Yuggera land, and Dirk in a very warm, very sunny Darwin on Larrakia country. Which, naturally, leads to a brief weather comparison, a petrol price timestamp, and a reminder that life on the road can make you feel more than a little geographically and temporally confused.

But once they get into the news, this episode quickly becomes a bigger conversation about the story Australia tells about international education — and whether that story is good enough.

First up, Rob and Dirk look north to Cairns, where Study Cairns has been building stronger connections with Indonesia and developing its student ambassador program. And what stands out is not just the strategy, but the reminder that international education is not only a Sydney-and-Melbourne story. It reaches deeply into regional cities and local communities, from Cairns to Darwin and beyond.

Then the conversation turns to student accommodation, and some pretty substantial numbers. With tens of thousands of purpose-built student accommodation beds in the pipeline, Rob and Dirk unpack why the housing narrative around international students is far more complicated than some of the political rhetoric suggests.

And then, as awards season begins, they look at the IEAA Excellence Awards and the Victorian International Education Awards — both important reminders that there are extraordinary people, students and stories across this sector that deserve to be recognised.

The episode finishes with a powerful opinion piece from Adrian De Luca of We Are Australia, focused on the trust that families place in this country when they send their children here to study. It is a reminder that behind every international student is a parent at an airport, a family making sacrifices, and a human story that can too easily get lost in policy debates, housing arguments and migration headlines.

In this episode, we cover:

• Study Cairns’ work in Indonesia and its growing student ambassador program
• Why international education matters in cities beyond Sydney and Melbourne
• The growing pipeline of purpose-built student accommodation across Australia
• The IEAA and Victorian international education awards now open for nominations
• Why authentic student stories matter more than generic marketing messages
• Adrian De Luca’s reminder that Australia should actively choose international students

There is a lovely thread running through this episode about stories.

Not polished corporate stories. Not rankings slapped onto a brochure. Not another generic photo of smiling students who could be anywhere in the world.

Real stories.

The kind that help students see themselves in Australia. The kind that remind communities why international education matters. The kind that push back against lazy assumptions at barbecues, coffee catch-ups and in the media. The kind that say, clearly and without apology: we want international students in Australia.

Because when families around the world place their trust in us, that should mean something.

And perhaps, now more than ever, it is time we said so.

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 Angelo 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 podcast@globalsociety.com.au