Band 7+: The table and pie charts below provide information about the number of research students at Australian universities in 2001 and 2010. Provide an overview of the information by identifying and describing the key details, and include comparisons where appropriate.

The table and pie chart below the participation of domestic and international students in fields of study at Australian universities in 2001 and 2010, together with the breakdown of research students by gender over the same period.

Looking at the table, the total number of research students increased, mainly due to a rise in international students. Additionally, the pie charts show that local students still made up the majority in both years, while female students accounted for a higher proportion than males.

The table shows the number of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010, split into local and international groups. In 2001, there were 38,849 students, with 33,657 local and 5,192 international. By 2010, the total had risen to 54,081, with local students at 39,488 and international students reaching 14,593, nearly three times the number in 2001. Local students remained the majority, although the number of international students grew significantly.

The pie chart illustrates the gender distribution of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010. In 2001, the gender balance among local students was almost equal, with 44% male and 43% female. However, international students showed a clear gender disparity, with only 9% male and 4% female. By 2010, the proportion of male local students decreased slightly to 38%, while female local students fell to 35%. Among international students, the share of females rose significantly to 15%, surpassing the male students at 13%.