Band 8+: The table and pie charts below show the number of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010.Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

The figures provide information on the number of students who conducted research studies in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010. This includes both local and international students, categorized by gender.

Overall, native Australian male students had the highest numbers compared to local female students, with a population of 33,657 in 2001. In contrast, foreign non-local female students had the least representation, making up only 4% of the 38,849 student population. This trend continued in 2010, where local research students maintained their dominance with a total of 39,488, compared to their international counterparts.

It is noteworthy that in 2001, 13% of the research student population came from various countries, while 87% were from mainland Australia. However, a few years later, in 2010, the number of international students doubled, making up 25% of the 54,081 total student researchers. While the number of international students increased swiftly, local research students experienced a slower growth, with an increase of about 5,000 by 2010.