International education is Australia’s third biggest export, worth over $15 billion.

Now for the first time, key industry figures have engaged in debate over a national strategy for international education.

Stakeholders from government, universities and private education providers gathered for the annual conference on Australian International Education held by IDP Education this week.

This follows recent shocks to the sector triggered by the Indian student protests in Melbourne and Sydney earlier this year.

The debate also comes ahead of the report by the NSW Ministerial Taskforce into International Education due next month.

2SER's Biwa Kwan reports from the conference.