Aus govt reassures Indian students of safety, welfare

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, July 2 (PTI) Facing flak over a wave of racial
attacks against Indian students, Australia Thursday reassured
them of "safety, welfare and accommodation" as Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd said a top delegation will visit India soon to
project this country as a safe destination for higher studies.

During a high-level Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) meeting attended by Rudd and state Premiers in Darwin,
the leaders agreed to an International Student Strategy (ISS)
aimed at broadening and improving the experience students have
in Australia, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported.

"It is important to extend Australian hospitality to
international students," Rudd said in a joint statement with
Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Julia Gillard,
while announcing the July 5 to 15 India trip of the delegation
comprising senior police and other officials from federal and
state governments.

The delegation, which will first visit New Delhi after it
reaches there on Sunday, "will also travel to major Indian
cities to meet with state governments and others to hear about
their concerns and reassure them that Australia is a safe
destination for Indian students," Rudd said.

The students' concerns will be taken into account at a
international student roundtable, planned for September 14-15
in Canberra, Rudd said.

Deputy Prime Minister Gillard said the attacks on Indian
students had highlighted a number of issues concerning them.

"Not only with safety but with a range of issues related
to living and studying in Australia," she said. "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."

The federal and state leaders said overseas students were
welcome in Australia. "They provide diversity and richness to
our education and training institutions and enrich communities
in which they live," the leaders said in a communique.

The ISS will try to help students become more engaged in
life outside the classroom and will also try to deepen their
community ties apart from ensuring students were better
informed about what to expect before they arrive and once they
set foot in Australia.

The strategy will encourage greater community integration
for foreign students who often complain of feeling isolated,
and better coordinate government education and migration
policies.

In addition, it will examine the quality of education
providers, aimed at ensuring courses measure up to strict
standards.

The Commonwealth will spend 50,000 dollars on an
initiative to be run by Darebin Council in north Melbourne,
which will encourage students to get involved in social and
sporting events in their community. It will be used as a model
for further initiatives.

"All government, education and training providers and
student unions should support greater levels of interaction
between international students and local communities," Gillard
said.

The Australian delegation will meet Indian ministers and
other officials in New Delhi on Sunday to discuss the student
issue.

The delegation will also visit seven other Indian cities
-- Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai
and Bangalore -- during the visit.

A total of 20 Indian students have been attacked in a
month in Australia, which is home to over 95,000 Indians
pursuing education here. These attacks have shaken Australia's
reputation as a safe destination for overseas students.

Meanwhile, Universities Australia Chief Executive Glenn
Withers welcomed the government's safety initiatives, saying
these will benefit all staff and students, not just
international students.

"In recent years universities have been working to
enhance the student experience," he said.

This is happening "through work-integrated learning
programmes, advisory and counselling services, volunteering
opportunities and more comprehensive course experience
evaluations," Withers said.

"Universities Australia looks forward to partnering with
Commonwealth and state governments in further resolving
transport, accommodation and other key safety issues," he
said. PTI NC
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