You are hereFISA welcomes Rudd’s COAG outcomes - but now it is time to include international students
FISA welcomes Rudd’s COAG outcomes - but now it is time to include international students
3 July 2009
Melbourne
While welcoming the COAG initiative for development of a national International Student Strategy that will promote a broader vision of international education Mr Gautam Gupta, spokesperson for FISA, called on the Government to include Indian Students as part of the solution.
COAG has announced a number of initiatives including
- Sending a delegation to India;
- Any delegation that deals with Indian student issues must include Indian students as part of the delegation.
- The terms of reference of the delegation must be properly vetted and articulated so that it does not turn out to be another expensive tax-payer, funded marketing campaign in disguise.
- Funding $50,000 to Darebin City Council to enhance social inclusion using sports and culture
- This is a welcome move and first by the Government to seriously consider engaging the local communities as part of the solution.
- FISA is working closely with Darebin City Council to develop a MOU to establish Darebin council as a model safe city.
- FISA is calling on the government to invest more in student welfare and fund bodies such as FISA who have actually worked as a welfare body for Indian International students. FISA has helped at least 70 Victims of Crime in the last couple of months without any support from the government. FISA has received only $2500 from the Victorian Multicultural Commission for the whole year.
- A crackdown on crime around metropolitan transport hubs and heightened community engagement by police
- Any attempts to make the streets safer are welcome.
- There is a need to have specialist division with the police to deal with International student issues.
- Improved pre- and post-arrival information
- We have been hearing this statement from many years. We hope that this time the government is serious and will take our suggestions for better more targeted information.
- Engagement with the ethnic and broader Australian community
- We believe the engagement must go beyond sponsoring a couple of hundred dollars to sporadic cultural events.
- The engagement must be broader ranging that includes community leaders across many age ranges and must include new migrants.
- The engagement must be based on respect and trust and must not be run on lines that pitch a community against other.
- Government must recognise and work actively with FISA, the democratically elected representative of Indian students.
- Enhance general educational offerings that develop cultural understanding, tolerance and language skills;
- It is a highly desired outcome. This campaign must also include young Australians where their understanding of multiculturalism is enhanced.
- Achieve a clearer articulation between international education and migration policies;
- The government position should be clarified on this matter. Do they want Australian trained migrants or not? If they don’t please say so clearly and make appropriate policy changes before students are lured to Australia with false enticements.
- Consider the quality of education providers
- Improved regulatory framework is a must. It must be based on social equity and fair go for all. Some the issues that need to be addressed are:
- Return of full tuition fees if a student is unable to complete the degree for any reason (except fraud or crime)
- Criminal charges against institute management for providing incorrect information to potential students.
- Public statistics on key student data such a fail rate, people caught in plagiarism, experience and education of tutors, on-campus crime
- Improved regulatory framework is a must. It must be based on social equity and fair go for all. Some the issues that need to be addressed are:
- International Student Roundtable to be held in Canberra on 14-15 September 2009
- It is important that known student organisations such as NUS, CAPA and FISA are invited to be part of this initiative to be truly inclusive.
- We hope it does not end up like other talk-fests the Government is famous for. We hope the findings and recommendations are implemented swiftly.
Overall FISA is satisfied that Mr Kevin Rudd and his ministers are finally speaking the language of the students. FISA is looking forward to work with the Government across all levels to improve student experiences while they are in Australia.
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