The table and pie charts illustrate the number of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010, categorized into local and international students.
Overall, the total number of research students increased significantly over the period, with a notable rise in international students. While local students remained the majority, their proportion declined as international enrollment grew.
In 2001, there were 33,657 local and 5,192 international research students, bringing the total to 38,849. By 2010, these figures rose to 39,488 local and 14,593 international students, resulting in a total of 54,081. Although the number of local students grew moderately, the number of international students nearly tripled.
The pie charts illustrate gender distribution. In 2001, 87% of research students were local, with 44% male and 43% female, while 13% were international, comprising 9% male and 4% female. By 2010, the proportion of international students had increased to 27%, with 15% male and 12% female, whereas the local student share declined to 73%, including 38% male and 35% female.
In conclusion, Australian universities experienced a substantial increase in international research students between 2001 and 2010, leading to a more diverse student body while the local student population grew at a slower rate.