AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION
AITE attends launch of Victoria's International Education Strategy
On Monday, 21 September 2009, Premier John Brumby announced a $14 million boost to secure the long-term future of Victoria’s vital international education industry.
Bill Kardamitsis, Chief Executive Officer, and Spiro Kardamitsis, General Manager Operations, attended the launch as representatives of Australian Institute of Technology & Education.
Mr Brumby said 'Thinking Global: Victoria’s Action Plan for International Education' would ensure Victoria could continue to build on its status as a leading destination of choice for students from all over the world.
“This action plan will play a key role in driving growth in the number of students travelling here to make the most of Victoria’s world-leading research infrastructure,” Mr Brumby said.
“Thinking Global builds on the reputation of our research facilities, including the Australian Synchrotron and our biotechnology institutes, as well as promoting our excellent vocational education and training institutions and universities.
Highlights of 'Thinking Global – Victoria’s Action Plan for International Education' include:
Mr Brumby said Victoria’s international education industry had almost doubled in the last few years, defying the global downturn and attracting more and more students from around the world.
“Surveys of international students consistently show the majority are very satisfied with their courses, their experience living here and that they would recommend Victoria to their friends,” Mr Brumby said.
“To maintain this growth and to ensure the Victorian economy continues to diversify and grow, we must consolidate those achievements and be ready to seize new opportunities and meet the challenges of the future.
“This new five-year action plan outlines how Victoria would continue to build on its strong reputation for quality as well as addressing the issues that have accompanied recent growth.”
Skills and Workplace Participation Minister, Jacinta Allan said the Brumby Labor Government was determined to continually improve the services offered to international students.
“To maintain the high quality of Victoria’s providers, ongoing rapid audits of high risk providers will be conducted in tandem with Commonwealth Government authorities,” Ms Allan said.
“We understand there are student concerns about well-being and safety and we have addressed those concerns in this plan.
“We will build on existing support services and improve information for students about living in Melbourne and Victoria. We will also work with the industry to introduce a new student buddy system to support new arrivals in those early months settling in to a new country.”
Ms Allan said the Victorian Government had long been a national leader in this dynamic sector and would continue to work closely with the Commonwealth Government to meet future challenges and drive growth.
“In the last five years, the number of students coming to Victoria had doubled and last year, close to 162,000 international students from 160 countries were enrolled in Victoria’s educational institutions,” she said.
“International students make a significant contribution to Victoria’s diverse, multicultural society and enhance our community in many ways.
“As the state’s top export industry, Victoria’s international education sector also generated close to $5 billion in 2008 - a figure that translates into thousands of jobs across the state.
“Thinking Global implements the recommendations of the Overseas Student Experience Taskforce and outlines Victoria’s plan to secure the long-term future of this vital sector.”
Details of the Thinking Global – Victoria’s Action Plan can be found at www.diird.vic.gov.au
Bill Kardamitsis, Chief Executive Officer, and Spiro Kardamitsis, General Manager Operations, attended the launch as representatives of Australian Institute of Technology & Education.
Mr Brumby said 'Thinking Global: Victoria’s Action Plan for International Education' would ensure Victoria could continue to build on its status as a leading destination of choice for students from all over the world.
“This action plan will play a key role in driving growth in the number of students travelling here to make the most of Victoria’s world-leading research infrastructure,” Mr Brumby said.
“Thinking Global builds on the reputation of our research facilities, including the Australian Synchrotron and our biotechnology institutes, as well as promoting our excellent vocational education and training institutions and universities.
Highlights of 'Thinking Global – Victoria’s Action Plan for International Education' include:
- $9.8 million for the new International Education Long Term Growth package that will drive sustainable growth in the sector, including a boost to the network of Education Service Managers in Bangalore, Dubai, Tokyo and Shanghai who provide significant support to the Victorian international educational industry, and a new state wide industry awards program for the sector;
- $2.7 million for the International Students Connections package to build on existing support services and information provision to international students in Victoria. This includes a new student buddy system and new student information kits;
- $1.4 million for the Quality in International Education package that will ensure Victoria’s reputation as a world class study destination is maintained. This includes ongoing multi-jurisdictional rapid audits of high risk education and training providers.
Mr Brumby said Victoria’s international education industry had almost doubled in the last few years, defying the global downturn and attracting more and more students from around the world.
“Surveys of international students consistently show the majority are very satisfied with their courses, their experience living here and that they would recommend Victoria to their friends,” Mr Brumby said.
“To maintain this growth and to ensure the Victorian economy continues to diversify and grow, we must consolidate those achievements and be ready to seize new opportunities and meet the challenges of the future.
“This new five-year action plan outlines how Victoria would continue to build on its strong reputation for quality as well as addressing the issues that have accompanied recent growth.”
Skills and Workplace Participation Minister, Jacinta Allan said the Brumby Labor Government was determined to continually improve the services offered to international students.
“To maintain the high quality of Victoria’s providers, ongoing rapid audits of high risk providers will be conducted in tandem with Commonwealth Government authorities,” Ms Allan said.
“We understand there are student concerns about well-being and safety and we have addressed those concerns in this plan.
“We will build on existing support services and improve information for students about living in Melbourne and Victoria. We will also work with the industry to introduce a new student buddy system to support new arrivals in those early months settling in to a new country.”
Ms Allan said the Victorian Government had long been a national leader in this dynamic sector and would continue to work closely with the Commonwealth Government to meet future challenges and drive growth.
“In the last five years, the number of students coming to Victoria had doubled and last year, close to 162,000 international students from 160 countries were enrolled in Victoria’s educational institutions,” she said.
“International students make a significant contribution to Victoria’s diverse, multicultural society and enhance our community in many ways.
“As the state’s top export industry, Victoria’s international education sector also generated close to $5 billion in 2008 - a figure that translates into thousands of jobs across the state.
“Thinking Global implements the recommendations of the Overseas Student Experience Taskforce and outlines Victoria’s plan to secure the long-term future of this vital sector.”
Details of the Thinking Global – Victoria’s Action Plan can be found at www.diird.vic.gov.au
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