Australia - a vast, distant land that attracts millions to the gleam of its gold coasts, the bustle of its modern metropolitan cities and the mystery of the desolate outback and aboriginal culture.
Acquiring
a qualification from an Australian institution can be incredibly beneficial,
so there are many reasons why international students choose to study
there!
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Standards of education are high, and graduates with Australian qualifications are sought after by employers around the world;
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Australia is a country where learning and scholarship are prized for their own sake, but where there is also a great tradition of turning new ideas into practical innovations;
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Post-secondary education in Australia offers an attractive and stimulating academic environment. The institutions are diverse in size and location, and offer a wide range of quality courses and research opportunities;
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Entry procedures are straightforward;
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Australia has a long history of involvement in international education development, staff and student exchange programs and scholarships;
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Australia is safe, and Australians welcome international students;
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Living costs and tuition costs compare well with other countries, and international students are permitted to work part-time in Australia;
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Australia has a dynamic, multicultural society, as well as sophisticated entertainment and shopping facilities, and a wide range of artistic, cultural, sporting and recreational activities;
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Australia is a land of beauty, excitement and contrast, and has unique flora and fauna.
Australian
universities carry out a multifaceted role in Australian society, central
to which is the creation, preservation and transmission of knowledge
and culture. While the teaching of undergraduates is at the heart of
the university role, it cannot be separated from the other and related
functions of scholarship, research, postgraduate education, consultancy
and, through the provision of expert advice and comment on the range
of issues of national and international importance, contribution to
community awareness and debate. The undergraduate curriculum maintains
its vitality and relevance by drawing on ideas and technology from the
cutting edge of research.
A primary mission of each university is to seek the highest quality of performance, to maintain enduring standards, and to preserve knowledge and culture in the broadest sense. Universities, therefore, have long-term perspectives which are crucial components in the maintenance of community continuity and stability. Such long-term perspectives become very important resources in the setting and analysis of national priorities. While these functions are performed by the Australian university system as a whole, each university participates in distinctive ways, with different emphasis on different aspects of each of these functions, depending on its own institutional role and mission.
Diversity
The
components of the Australian university system are diverse. That diversity,
which extends to the specific roles of the institutions, the modes of
teaching and research, the constitution of the student body and the
range of educational programs, is essential to the long-term vigour
of the university system. There is necessarily a range of differences
in quality between and within universities, that inputs system, disciplines
and different modes of delivery.
A diverse system is one that can most quickly and effectively adapt to changing circumstances. There is a history of compelling evidence that the education of graduates of Australian universities provides them with the capacity to respond flexibly to the changing requirements of the labour market.
International
Standing
Higher education in Australia has long enjoyed a well-deserved high
international reputation, in which quality across the system has been
the touchstone. Australian universities are part of a clearly recognised
international community of scholarship, the foundations of which are
creation, preservation and dissemination of knowledge. Academic staff
in Australian universities are recruited on an international basis,
and Australian academic staff and graduates are eagerly recruited around
the world. Students at Australian universities are increasingly recruited
on an international, as well as a national basis.
The ready acceptance by leading international universities of graduates from Australian universities for postgraduate studies provides a clear indicator of the universal acceptance of the quality output of Australian universities. To a large extent it is this inbuilt aspiration for international recognition which provides continuing assurance of its quality and standards.
Higher Education
System
The higher education system in Australia is a relatively large one for
a nation of 18 million people. There are 37 universities and a number
of other institutions that provide higher education courses of some
type.
The total number of students enrolled in higher education is about 680,000, made up of full-time, part-time and external students. More than half are full-time students, most of whom live off-campus and travel each day to their institutions. There are about 68,000 international students now studying at higher education institutions. Student life is a mixture of lectures, tutorials and seminars, plus individual work in laboratories and libraries. There is a range of extracurricular activities to engage in during the academic year, which runs from late February or early March to November. Increasingly, the institutions also accept enrolments in midyear.
Universities provide courses and conduct research in a wide range of professional and academic disciplines. They award associate diplomas, diplomas, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees, and postgraduate diplomas. Some institutions provide specialist training in health sciences or teacher education. Universities recognise the awards of each other. So, for example, a person awarded a bachelors degree by one institution could be accepted for entry to a masters degree program by another.
There is a diversity in the structure of course programs. In the more technical fields, such as engineering, medicine and science, there are more hours of lectures, tutorials and practical classes than in the humanities and social sciences, where students are expected to spend more time in individual reading and research.
International students need fluency in the English language if they are to succeed at an Australian campus. They must also be prepared to learn to use the library efficiently, because they are expected to read and research widely. Courses to assist international students are the English language preparatory and upgrading courses, and in particular the ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students). These are available in Australia at public and private institutions. At universities, more emphasis is placed on understanding and applying concepts and theories, and being able to examine critically different arguments and viewpoints, than on rote learning. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, and to ask questions if they do not understand something. It is not considered bad manners for students to express views differently from those of their teachers, and many lecturers deliberately provoke discussion and argument to shed more light on a subject.
To be a successful student in Australia, it is necessary to adapt to these methods of learning. Most institutions in Australia offer counselling services and assistance to develop effective study skills.
Many lecturers in Australia have long experience in teaching international students. They understand how difficult it can be for the international student to get used to different study methods, and they will be patient in helping the student in the development of new skills.
The quality of Australian university qualifications is recognised worldwide. Recognition of Australian qualifications for employment purposes in the student's home country should also be taken into consideration. Before embarking upon a professional Australian course, prospective students should ensure that the desired qualification is fully recognised at home.
Author
Stuart Hamilton
AVCC
