Foreign students still wary of Australia

Survey finds perceptions of racism, safety concerns shape students’ opinions. By Antonia Maiolo. International students are concerned about their safety and believe they are not welcome in Australia, a new survey shows. The study found that safety and Australia’s attitude towards international students is still a worry for people considering studying here, prompting calls for the Federal Government to consider the adverse impact its immigration policy is having on the promotion of Australia as a study destination. Hobson’s Asia-Pacific survey of more than 18,000 students from 195 countries found 1-in-5 participants said safety was a reason not to study in Australia. A quarter said Australia’s attitude towards international students was a reason not to pursue tertiary education here. David Harrington, Hobson’s Asia-Pacific managing director, said Australia needs a specific policy to protect a financially lucrative and culturally significant industry. “The federal government must establish a cross-committee including representatives of education, trade, foreign affairs and other relevant departments to help get the message across that Australia welcomes international students and has the appropriate measures in place to protect them,” Harrington said. “This committee should take on the overall responsibility of branding Australian education internationally and, more broadly, Australia as a study destination.” He said Australia’s tough stance on immigration could be affecting how students perceive Australians’ attitudes towards them. “The students surveyed said they want a place which is safe and feels like home and where people are friendly to them, yet the media [coverage] surrounding Australia’s tough stance on asylum seekers often paints us as a nation that doesn’t welcome people from other countries,” Harrington said. “We know Australia is a safe place and embraces all cultures – we need to do more to ensure that this is how we are perceived overseas.” The president of peak body the Council of International Students Australia, Thomson Ch’ng, said recent assaults on foreign students have appeared in the media overseas, contributing to the perception that Australia is unsafe. In April, the body of a 21-year-old French student was found in a central Brisbane park. Before this, in March, a 27-year-old Singaporean student was killed and found in a hotel room in Brisbane’s south. Last November, the body of a 22-year-old South Korean student was found in parkland in Brisbane’s CBD. A little less than a month later, the body of another South Korean student was discovered in Brisbane’s south-west. “This issue is not something that can be solved overnight, it requires a co-ordinated approach from the stakeholders, including government and education providers,” Ch’ng said. He added that whilst some universities have implemented programs to address the situation, more needs to be done. “Educational providers should create a better understanding about international students so that they are respected in the community,” Ch’ng said. “Also they should look at how they can encourage and empower the domestic community to engage with international students.” He said universities need to come up with initiatives that champion foreign students and highlight their value to institutions. “International students play a key role in contributing to the overall learning environment of the university,” Ch’ng said. Further, Harrington said it is important not to underestimate the economic and cultural contribution international students make. “In 2012, international students paid $7 billion in fees and [spent] $7.5 billion on goods and services, making them one of the top-five contributors to GDP,” Harrington said. “International students account for one-fifth of the student population in Australia, and it is the enhanced fees they are paying that allow our tertiary institutions to prosper.” He said without the revenue from international students, our tertiary institutions would be very different places. “There would be less self-funding and therefore less innovation, [affecting] research and the perceived quality and rankings of our institutions globally,” Harrington said. “Australia has a lot to lose, not only in terms of economic value but also the cultural contribution that international students and their families make.”