This table provides information about the average number of research students at universities in Australia between 2001 and 2010, while the pie chart illustrates the percentage of research students. Overall, there has been an increase in the number of students across both types of research over the course of a decade, with local research students making up the majority.
In 2001, the number of local research students was approximately 34,000, alongside more than 5,000 international students in the research sector. In total, there were about 40,000 individuals participating in research. However, in the following decade, a steady increase was noted; by 2010, there were around 39,000 local students involved in research, and the number of international students had risen to approximately 15,000. Altogether, this resulted in about 55,000 individuals attending research programs.
In both 2001 and 2010, local students constituted a large percentage of the total student population, particularly among male students. In 2001, local students represented about 87% of all research students, but by 2010, this percentage declined, making up only a quarter of the total.