The Council of International Students Australia (CISA), the country’s peak international student organisation, has launched a video advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the role international students play in Australian society. It has also produced a good practice guide to help Australian educators maintain high standards when catering to internationals.
The “I’m not Australian but I have an Australian story” video campaign was unveiled at CISA’s third annual conference in Sydney this month and will be promoted through various media channels this year.
Through collaboration with government departments, education peak bodies, student organisations and providers the project aims to document international students’ experience in Australia and raise their profile. The video also includes testimonials from the winners of a story competition held by CISA earlier this year.
“We’re going out to the community who might not be in touch with what international students have to offer,” CISA’s immediate past president, Aleem Nizari told The PIE News. “One of the key strategies is to to get outside of our international education bubble with a marketing campaign on TV, radio and in newspapers.”
“One of the key strategies is to to get outside of our international education bubble”
The organisation also used the conference to launch a good practice programme based on the international student charter created last year through the New South Wales Industry Education and Research Task Force. It calls for basic good standards regarding transparency in agent commissions, language-appropriate online pre-arrival training, transportation, telecommunications and internet options, working rights, homestays and healthcare costs and access.
“We’ve moved toward sharing those good practices with education providers who have not met those guidelines yet,” said Nizari. “It’s been challenging in the first few months but more and more are coming forward, especially in the private sector.”
The initiatives reflect an increasing desire to improve standards for international students as Australia seeks to stem its overseas enrolment downturn. Bad publicity about high living costs and neglectful treatment have contributed to the sector losing some $4 billion in international student expenditure since 2009.
The CISA conference, which was attended by 180 student representatives from HE, ELICOS, TAFE and VET institutions across Australia, explored some of the biggest issues affecting the sector. Government representatives were present to hear concerns ranging from international student employability to quality assurance and housing.
“One of the key issues that we have to start working on and fixing first would have to be accommodation because it’s from accommodation every other issue links to, including safety and transportation,” emphasised Nizari.
“Students who live on campus perform much better in academic terms and they have a much better social life”
“From research we’ve seen that students who live on campus perform much better in academic terms and they have a much better social life.”
Formed in 2010, CISA is the recognised peak body for international students across Australia. Newly elected president Thomson Ch’ng said the upcoming year will see the organisation continue to prioritise engagement with students in all levels of education and the Australian public.
