An exploratory model of destination choice by international students

The export of education is very important to Australia generating some $3.7 billion in 2000. Australian Universities are relying more on this income to offset falling funding from local sources. This exploratory study tests the Lawley and Blight (1997) Factor Analysis model of destination choice by international students from a study destination perspective. A sample of 80 international students was surveyed in a university in Melbourne using the same 20 Lawley and Blight variables. A Principle Component Analysis with a Varimax rotation was conducted and arrived at five separate components. These components were different to Lawley and Blight’s four factors. Two of the Lawley and Blight factors were replaced, to result in the following components: University, Administration, Country, Reference Group, and Costs. Also some of the variables ended up in different components from the previous study. Further collection of data is required to validate these findings. Issues such as the treatment of international students as a global homogenous market are also touched upon. The limitations of Principal Component Analysis are also discussed.