STRONGER CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS RECOMMENDED
More support for international students and improved information and stronger consumer protection mechanisms to ensure students are protected from unscrupulous operators wer among recommendations of the Baird Report, released this week.
The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, welcomed the release of the Baird review final report into the legislation that governs international education in Australia. She agreed to begin work on implementing a number of recommendations immediately.
Following his review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, former MP Bruce Baird recommended immediate changes to improve the experience of international students choosing to study and live in Australia.
His report, Stronger, simpler, smarter ESOS: supporting international students, makes several recommendations including:
more support for international students and improved information;
stronger consumer protection mechanisms to ensure students are protected from
unscrupulous operators;
improved regulation of Australia’s international education sector; and
improved support for those who study and live in Australia including having somewhere to
go when problems arise.
Mr Baird has detailed the issues facing the sector and makes a number of recommendations for strengthening legislation to better protect international students and ensure Australia continues to offer a world class quality education.
The recommendations follow extensive consultation with international students, education providers, state and territory governments, regulatory bodies, student organisations, international education professionals, education unions, industry bodies and diplomatic missions.
Ms Gillard said the government supports in principle recommendations to amend the ESOS Act to lift the bar on entry into the international education industry in Australia. The government will also move to implement recommendations which relate to restricting unethical student recruitment practices as soon as possible. These changes would require amendments to the ESOS Act. Other recommendations would require consultation with states and territories, the international education sector and other Australian Government ministers.
TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT THE MIGRATION EXPERIENCE
The National Australian Curriculum History draft paper, released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for community consultation, has been welcomed by the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA).
“Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Australians contribute greatly to Australia, both socially and economically, and their settlement experiences and contributions to Australian society should be reflected in our national history curriculum,” said FECCA Chairperson Pino Migliorino.
“The ACARA’s commitment to teaching our young people about the migration experiences of Australia’s diverse community groups is reflected in the national draft history curriculum, and this is to be commended.
“FECCA is also pleased to note that the new curriculum would address, in detail, the culture and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders,” Mr Migliorino said.
“Australia’s CALD communities are keen to understand the history of the first Australians beyond the negative media images they so often encounter, and the proposed national history curriculum will certainly assist young members of CALD communities in this regard.”
“However, care should be taken to ensure Australia’s diversity is explored by students in all year levels. The draft curriculum for years 11 and 12, to be released later this year, must also examine the journeys undertaken, and contributions made, by CALD Australians.” DETAILS: FECCA on 02 6282 5755.
INDIAN BILL RESERVES THIRD OF LEGISLATIVE SEATS FOR WOMEN
Indian MPs have approved a historic bill that sets aside one-third of all legislative seats for women, the Sydney Morning Herald reported (11/3/10). The bill, which drew fierce opposition before its passage in the upper house of Parliament on Tuesday, would guarantee seats for women in the national legislature and all state assemblies in the world's largest democracy.
It won the backing of 186 of the 248 members of the Rajya Sabha, but must still be passed by the lower house, the Lok Sabha, and state assemblies.
''The bill is a historic step, joyous step forward,'' the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, said. ''It is celebration of our womanhood. This is a momentous development in the long journey of empowering women.'' At present women occupy 59 of 545 seats in the lower house and 21 in the 248-seat upper house.
FAIR FINANCIAL HELP
The Australian aid program has spent an average of $10 million a year since 2004 to improve poor people's access to financial services and this will increase to up to $20 million a year by 2012-13, an Australian Government media release stated. Australia will assist formal and informal financial institutions to offer quality, affordable and fair financial services to poor people through microfinance and new technologies, such as mobile phone banking.
GLOBAL TRAVEL EXPECTED TO REBOUND
The head of the United Nations tourism organization is calling on the industry to strengthen its resilience, stimulate sustainable growth and contribute to the green economy as it leaves behind one of its most difficult years, UN News reported (10/3/10).
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts a growth of 3 to 4 per cent in international tourism this year, possibly higher in emerging regions, such as Asia. The rise follows a 4 per cent drop in tourism in 2009 and a loss in earnings of 6 per cent.
“Though there are positive signs emerging from the global economy, we all recognise that recovery is still weak, uneven, easily reversible and that many downside risks remain,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai at the opening of the ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin, the world’s largest tourism fair.
One year after the industry issued the UNWTO Roadmap to Recovery – a framework to help the tourism sector respond to the global economic crisis while staying on track with climate and development imperatives – countries that were quick to implement mitigation measures have seen the greatest recovery, Mr Rifai said.
Calling unemployment the most common issue of concern at a time when “our global economic order and our global ecological balance are both challenged,” Mr Rifai said the tourism industry can rapidly create jobs, particularly for youth and women. In the longer term, the emphasis should not be just on any job, but on “skilled jobs, decent work and green economy jobs.”
UNWTO has increasingly spoken out about the tourism industry’s commitment to the transformation to the green economy. In October, the organisation issued a warning that rising sea levels and melting snow caps could threaten lucrative travel spots, particularly in poorer countries.
In today’s speech, Mr Rifai called on the industry to bridge the poverty gap between the developed and developing countries to contribute more fairly to globalisation and global equity.
His message echoes that of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who last month said that social justice based on the values of fairness, equality and respect for diversity is more important than ever amid the global financial and economic crisis. Mr Rifai also called for a retooling of the industry’s business models and development of more comprehensive public policies.
“We cannot build a meaningful public-private partnership without strong, healthy and identifiable national public policies on travel and tourism,” he said. DETAILS: AusAID website www.ausaid.gov.au. REPORT: http://www.jennymacklin.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/jennymacklin.nsf/content/straight_talk2010_9mar2010.htm
INDIGENOUS WOMEN’S ALLIANCE ANNOUNCED
A National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance was announced this week at Straight Talk 2010 at Parliament House, Canberra. The new forum would make it possible for issues of concern to be raised and for their own solutions to be developed through the establishment of the new alliance, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and the Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, said. Attended by 55 Indigenous women leaders, Straight Talk 2010 was organised by Oxfam.
The ministers said the alliance of Indigenous women and their organisations from across the country would work with the Australian Government on policy issues to develop a more informed and representative dialogue with the Government.
The Australian Government is to provide $600,000 over three years for the creation of the new alliance, as part of the Office for Women's National Women's Alliances program. Its establishment will be led by prominent Indigenous women and their organisations, with initial set up support from the YWCA. The new Indigenous women's alliance is one of six National Women's Alliances funded by the Australian Government to work on national policy issues.
The ministers said the alliance of Indigenous women and their organisations from across the country would work with the Australian Government on policy issues to develop a more informed and representative dialogue with the Government.
The Australian Government is to provide $600,000 over three years for the creation of the new alliance, as part of the Office for Women's National Women's Alliances program. Its establishment will be led by prominent Indigenous women and their organisations, with initial set up support from the YWCA. The new Indigenous women's alliance is one of six National Women's Alliances funded by the Australian Government to work on national policy issues.
DODSON APPOINTED TO HARVARD CHAIR
Professor Mick Dodson from the Australian National University has been appointed the next Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University, the ANU stated (5/3/10).
The Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at ANU will take up the temporary posting at the US university next year, sharing the honour with Dr Chris McAuliffe from the University of Melbourne .
The Australian studies chair at Harvard was established in 1976 as a visiting professorship to promote awareness and understanding of Australia in the US .
Professor Dodson, who is a prominent researcher and advocate on Indigenous rights and issues in an international context, will be appointed to the Indigenous Development program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
“This is a great honour for me, and a great opportunity to showcase some of the research being done here at the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at ANU, as well as elsewhere in Australia ,” Professor Dodson said.
“It will also be a good opportunity to find out more about some of the work being done in the US that I can bring back to Australia . Indigenous peoples from around the world have much to gain from sharing knowledge about their individual efforts to win full rights and recognition.”
NZ DISCUSSES TRADE RELATIONS WITH ASIA, PACIFIC AND LATIN AMERICA
The Australian parliament’s Trade Sub-Committee were to hear from the New Zealand High Commission on March 10 for its inquiry into Australia’s trade and investment relations with Asia, the Pacific and Latin America.
The Closer Economic Relations treaty with New Zealand is the most comprehensive agreement that Australia has signed. It is widely seen as an example of what can be achieved in economic agreements between nations. Combined with the importance of the joint agreement reached with ASEAN made the hearing one of the most important parts of the inquiry.
DETAILS: Principal Research Officer of the Trade Sub-Committee on 02 6277 4547; jscfadt@aph.gov.au; http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/reports.htm
AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION – CANBERRA INQUIRY
The Australian House of Representatives Industry, Science and Innovation Committee was due to conduct a second public hearing for its inquiry into Australia’s international research collaboration on Wednesday.
Representatives of the Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA) and the Australian ITER Forum will discuss the nature of existing collaboration, the benefits of international scientific collaboration, impediments to successful collaboration and strategies for supporting international research engagement.
The CRCA is the independent representative body for all Cooperative Research Centres, and is the principal non- government advocate for end-user driven cooperative research. The Australian ITER Forum involves over 150 Australian scientists and engineers who support Australian involvement in an International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.
The inquiry is examining areas of research that can deliver many benefits to Australia and its international research partners. DETAILS: www.aph.gov.au/isi; Secretary on 02 6277 4594; isi.reps@aph.gov.au