 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and a number of other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The neighboring countries are Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east. Australia is the only country that is also a continent.
The Australian mainland has been inhabited for more than 42,000 years by indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and then European discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, the eastern half of Australia was later claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, commencing on 26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were established during the 19th century.
On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth realm. The capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The population is just over 21.3 million, with approximately 60% of the population concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
States and territories
Australia has six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The two major mainland territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). In most respects, the territories function like the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation only overrides state legislation in certain areas that are set out in Section 51 of the Constitution; state parliaments retain all residual legislative powers, including powers over hospitals, education, police, the judiciary, roads, public transport, and local government.
Why Study in Australia
- Quality:
Australian institutions have an international reputation for excellence in all areas of education and training. In fact, Australia offers the world's best practice in quality assurance of education and training. The education system is subject to continuous checks and controls by government, industry and professional bodies to maintain and improve its already high standards. Several institutions in Australia also have ISO 9001 certification that guarantees the quality of service they provide. Australian universities are broadly recognized in many areas. In fact, the Times Higher Education rankings placed seven Australian universities in the World’s Top 100 Universities in 2006. Australia has a reputation of creating and adopting new and innovative technologies. Australian Universities have placed a high importance in developing world class research facilities and centers of excellence. This reputation has been confirmed with eight Australian Researchers receiving Nobel Prizes in different areas. Graduates from Australia are very successful in getting jobs soon after graduating and developing successful careers worldwide. Most study programs often been developed in consultation with various industries. This ensures that the studies you undertake are relevant and meet the needs and requirements of companies and industries themselves who seek highly qualified individuals with an internationally recognized qualification.
- Affordability:
Living expenses and tuition costs in Australia are considerably less expensive than other countries like the United Kingdom and Unites States of America. The structure of the Australian Education system is both affordable and of a high quality. In addition, international students have the opportunity to work up to 20 hours a week on a casual basis during their studies and full-time during vacation periods providing they hold a relevant working visa . This provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and/or earn extra money to support them while in Australia.
- A Complete Educational Experience:
Studying in Australia is a complete life experience! International students in Australia, while undertaking their chosen study program, have the opportunity to enhance their studies by taking part in the many extra curricular activities offered by all Australian Institutions. Most Australian Institutions incorporate internships, exchange programs and volunteer programs into normal study programs to enable students to add value to their international study experience. In Australia, institutions know that companies seek graduates with a complete profile, with an international experience and an understanding of the world around them. In addition, the multicultural perspective of Australia allows students to meet people from hundreds of countries all over the world. There are students from over 200 countries studying in Australian institutions! A student can you walk into a classroom and have the opportunity to network and make lifelong friends with people from all corners of the globe. The geographical location of Australia also allows the possibility of travelling to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Reputation:
Australia is a popular study destination for thousands of international students and has been for many years now. During 2006, almost 400,000 international students from all over the world studied in Australia. Australian institutions are sensitive to cultural and religious needs and provide well resourced, safe, welcoming and quality assured services to international students studying in Australia. Australian institutions have years of experience and knowledge in welcoming and supporting international students and this is provided through extensive support services. They place a great importance on ensuring your experience in Australia is as easy as possible and that one quickly adapt to new environment. All Australian institutions must provide extensive student support services to their international students by Australian law.
- Safety:
The Australian Government has established legislation to protect international students while they are studying in Australia. In Australia students get the world’s most rigorous protection for international students through the ‘Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000’. The ESOS Act is an Australian legislation that regulates institutions that provide education to international students. The ESOS Acts ensures that they meet nationally consistent standards in education delivery, facilities and services. It also orders a nationally consistent approach to registering education providers so that the quality of programs and associated support services offered to students remains high. |
|
|
