A'an Suryana
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Choosing the right place to study, especially if that place is
\nabroad, is an arduous task. So it is understandable if making
\nsuch a difficult decision results in occasional bouts of
\ndizziness, as it has for Citra Puspowardoyo, a high school
\ngraduate. Citra is ready to pursue a university degree somewhere
\nabroad, but she has not decided which country fits her best.<\/p>\n
Is the country a safe place to study? Does the country rank
\namong the best in terms of its universities and colleges? Is it a
\ncheap place to live? These are the kinds of questions that have
\nbeen bounding around inside Citra's mind.<\/p>\n
But really, all this confusion is quite unnecessary, for the
\nanswer is right next door for Citra and other Indonesians. It is
\nAustralia, which offers instruction in the English language,
\nsafety, an affordable cost of living and excellent universities.<\/p>\n
Australia has become a popular place to study for people from
\naround the world, and English is one of the main reasons people
\ncome to this southern continent for an education. Many young
\nadults from developed countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong,
\nGermany and France flock to Australia for one main goal: to learn
\nEnglish.<\/p>\n
Indeed, those countries already offer their students world-
\nclass educational facilities. However, these students still come
\nto Australia, because Australia offers both world-class
\neducational facilities and, more importantly, English.<\/p>\n
Cliff Tang, a student from Hong Kong, is a good example.<\/p>\n
\"By studying here, I obtained two things at the same time. My
\nEnglish got better, while I also earned a master's degree in
\npublic policy,\" said Tang, who just completed the Graduate
\nProgram in Public Policy at the Australian National University
\n(ANU).<\/p>\n
Besides English and the top educational facilities, Australia
\nalso offers a safe living environment. Australia has been a
\nstable democracy since the country was founded in the 19th
\ncentury.<\/p>\n
The crime rate is very low in this prosperous country. There
\nis growing concern over the rising number of drug addicts, but
\nthe figures are still low enough not to cause alarm.<\/p>\n
Nationalistic sentiments -- including some anti-Asian feelings
\n-- also persist in Australia, but have never led to significant
\nracial conflicts. Indeed, Australians respect and uphold the law.<\/p>\n
Last but not least, Australia is a relatively cheap place to
\nlive and study. On average, the annual cost of living in
\nAustralia is between A$23,000 (Rp 115 million) and $26,000. This
\nis much less than the United Kingdom and the United States, whose
\ncurrencies are much stronger than the Australian dollar.<\/p>\n
Australia also offers inexpensive education fees. In the
\nUnited States, it is possible to pay tuition fees of up to
\nUS$14,000 (Rp 140 million) for post-graduate studies, while in
\nAustralia the average tuition is A$16,000 (Rp 80 million).<\/p>\n
Judging by these criteria, plus its geographic proximity to
\nIndonesia, it is understandable why Australia has for years been
\nthe main destination for Indonesian students going abroad to
\nstudy.<\/p>\n
From 1993 to 1997, Indonesians made up the second largest
\ngroup of foreign students studying in Australia. From 1998 to
\n1999, Indonesian students topped the list, followed by students
\nfrom Singapore and Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
In 2000, the number of Indonesian students in Australia was
\n17,626, most of them taking graduate, undergraduate and
\nvocational courses, or attending high school.<\/p>\n
Most of the Indonesians pay for their studies themselves,
\nwhile about 3 percent obtained scholarships from AusAid.<\/p>\n
According to data from the Indonesian Embassy in Australia,
\nAustralia is the second most popular destination for Indonesian
\nstudents going abroad to study, after the United States.<\/p>\n
In 1999, some 8,185 Indonesians went to Australia for higher
\neducation (undergraduate and post-graduate degrees). That same
\nyear, 12,142 Indonesians were studying in the U.S.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that Australia is a fantastic place to
\nstudy. However, it should be noted that would-be students must
\nput attention to what institutions they apply to.<\/p>\n
There are, unfortunately, some students who end up regretting
\ntheir choice of university.<\/p>\n
Hendrik Pau, for example, complains that ANU focuses too much
\non research, with not enough practical application in their
\ncourses.<\/p>\n
\"Had I known this before, I would have applied to other
\nbusiness schools which are more practical in nature,\" said Pau,
\nwho recently completed the Graduate Program in Financial
\nManagement at ANU.<\/p>\n
Different universities are well known for different programs,
\nand prospective students should look into which university has a
\nreputation for having the best program in the area they want to
\nstudy. For example, the University of Melbourne is known for its
\nlaw school, while the University of New South Wales has a good
\nbusiness school. And ANU has earned a very good reputation for
\nits Asian studies and international relations programs, and for
\nits law school.<\/p>\n
\"In the United States, there are many good universities that
\nhave programs in international relations. However, I wanted to
\nstudy at ANU because the international relations department here
\nis ranked as the best in the world, especially for its Asia
\nPacific studies,\" said Jennifer, an American who just graduated
\nfrom the international relations department at ANU.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aan-suryana-1447899208",
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