Will Australia regain most favoured destination for Indian students?

Melbourne: Citing increase in number of Indian student visa applications, a think-tank here has claimed that Australia would rebound as the most preferred education destination for Indians that was shaken due to attacks on foreign students in 2009. “What is clear is Australia can become still favoured destination for bright students from India who want to pursue higher education here,” said Australia India Institute (AII) inaugural director Amitabh Mattoo.  “There is huge plate, a huge menu and we are trying to see how AII can value add to that,” Mattoo said. [caption id=“attachment_326148” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Reuters”]  [/caption] He said AII, which is an institute based at University of Melbourne, incepted to operate as a national epicentre of information on India and build India knowledge in Australia, has been working on various aspects of boosting the educational links as well as other areas of relationship. “We are focused on areas where there is a huge possibility of collaboration including the idea of collaborating on Meta University which has become popular in India and overseas,” he said. “As well as to ensure there is a transfer of credits when students move from an Indian to Australian university and the possibility of joint degrees.” Indian students have been central to the Australian higher education system in recent years, and a corrective measure came into force by both sides after the 2009 student-safety crisis erupted. Mattoo said there was still lot of scope for both sides to boost the relationship both at trade and people to people level. Absence of a sustained engagement at many levels in the past have been the main reason for derailment of the relationship even by a single issue like student safety issue. “This needs to change if the two countries are to work with each other and in the interests of the region,” he said. Currently, Australia and India have more in common than perhaps at any time in the past, and there is clearly more robustness and energy between the two countries. According to latest official data, the student visa figures show dramatic growth out of India, which has been second largest source for Australia. In the period from July last year to the end of March this year, Indians offshore lodged 8248 student visa applications, up 120 per cent. Offshore visa grants also rose strongly for the Indian market, with an 82.8 per cent increase taking the total to 4238. PTI