Finding into death of Zhikai Liu

Contributing factors

• undiagnosed and untreated depression
• suicidal ideation
• language barriers and difficulty with university studies
• relationship difficulties with girlfriend
• adjustment difficulties to new environment
• refusal to seek professional mental health assistance
• low engagement of international students with mental health services
• cultural, linguistic and financial barriers to accessing mental health care

Coroner's recommendations

1. The Australian Government Department of Education and Training undertake consultation with Victorian international student education providers and other organisations involved in international student education and support to identify strategies to engage vulnerable international students with mental health support
2. In undertaking consultation, consider how critical incident reports maintained by education providers under Standard 6 of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students may be brought together to inform interventions to reduce suicide among international students studying in Victoria
3. The Australian Government Department of Education and Training amend Standard 6 of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students to include a requirement that when a death of an international student occurs, within four weeks the education provider forward a copy of the written record of the critical incident and remedial action taken to the Coroner in the jurisdiction where the death occurred