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| July 2, 2009 | | Australia announces new international student safety strategy | | Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced today said that the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) had agreed to adopt a number of additional measures to enhance the well-being and safety of international students. The Council
welcomed the range of additional initiatives to improve student safety including
the recent high profile, visible police crackdown on crime around metropolitan
transport hubs and heightened community engagement by police. They agreed such
initiatives should be maintained. The Council agreed to develop a comprehensive
national International Student Strategy to improve international student pre and
post arrival information, enhance interaction between international students and
the broader Australian community, adopt measures to promote cultural understanding
and tolerance, and consider the quality of education providers. The Council underlined
the importance of extending Australian hospitality to international students and
agreed to support greater levels of interaction between international students
and local communities. To this end, the Prime Minister, announced AUD 50,000 dollars
for the Darebin City Council, in the north of Melbourne, to engage international
students within the community of Darebin through social and sporting events. This
would be used as model for further such initiatives. The Prime Minister called
on all governments, education and training providers and student unions, as part
of a national International Student Strategy, to support greater levels of interaction
between international students and local communities. The Prime Minister also
announced that an International Student Roundtable will be held in Canberra on
September 14 and 15, 2009. International students will be able to discuss directly
issues affecting their study experience - such as accommodation, welfare and safety
- and propose ideas for their resolution at the International Student Roundtable.
These ideas will then be considered by Ministers at the inaugural Ministerial
Council on Tertiary Education in November 2009. The Council strongly supported
the Australian delegation to India that will meet with key government officials
in Delhi on 6 July 2009 and then travel to major Indian cities to meet with state
governments and others to hear their concerns and reassure them that Australia
remains a safe destination for Indian students. Together these announcements demonstrate
the resolute commitment of all levels of Australia Government to improve the experience
of international students in Australia so they find Australia a welcoming, safe
and supportive place to study and live.
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