The given table and pie charts illustrate the number and distribution of research students in Australian universities in the years 2001 and 2010, categorized by nationality and gender.
Looking at the illustrations, it is immediately evident that the total number of research students increased significantly over the period; meanwhile, local students showed a particularly strong interest in research, outnumbering their international counterparts in both years. Additionally, the gender distribution showed shifts, with an increase in the share of both international male and female students.
In 2001, Australian universities had 38,849 research students, of whom 33,657 (87%) were local and 5,192 (13%) were from overseas. By 2010, the total had risen to 54,081, with local students increasing significantly to 39,488, but their proportion dropped to 73%. In contrast, international students more than doubled, reaching 14,593, occupying 27%.
Regarding gender distribution, in 2001, the percentage of local males dominated the chart at 44%, which was roughly 1% higher than the figure for local females. Non-local males ranked third at 9%, while non-local females came last at 4%. However, by 2010, the proportion of local males and females had declined to 35% and 38%, while international males and females had increased to 12% and 15%, respectively.