Australia is Most Sought After Study Destination

Over 80,000 Indian students are expected to seek admissions in various institutions in Australia by 2025, overseas education service provider IDP Education Australia Director Henry Ledlie said on Sunday.

Stating that Australia has become most sought after by Indians for higher studies due to best infrastructure, Mr Henry told newsmen here that it was the only country in the world, which had enacted Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act-- a comprehensive national legislation governing the quality and delivery of education to foreign students.

He said that his organisation has been recognising education exhibitions and holding interview programmes twice a year for the past 11 years in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad and the response was encouraging from the students community from India.

He said that the IDP programme was supported by the Australian Trade Commission, Government of Australia and the Australian Alumni Association India. The event attracts over 100 academics and representatives from 43 Australian Education institutions.

This programme will not only be beneficial for students seeking study options in Australia but also those interested in on line and distance education programmes and studying in Australian University offshore campuses in Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia, he added.

Mr Henry said that over the years the number of Indian students seeking admission in Australia was improving and it had witnessed a quantum jump in recent years.

In 1998 the Government of Australia had issued study visas for 300 students and presently over 28,000 students were studying in various universities and institutions and the number was expected to sore to 80,000 by 2025.

He said that to attract the finest Indian minds, Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced a 25 million Australian dollars aid to India over the next five years for bilateral collaboration through the strategic research fund and exchange scholarships.

Australian Universities also have valuable international linkages and exchanges with prestigious institutions all over the world including IIT, IIM IISc, BITS Pilani in India, he added.

Source: www.hindu.com