RI student numbers in Australia fall

RI student numbers in Australia fall

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Tanjung Benoa, Bali

The number of Indonesian studying in Australia has been declining
over the last few years due to visa, social, economic and
political problems, an education expert has claimed.

Isla Rogers-Winarto, country director of IDP Education
Australia, told participants at the two-day Indonesia Australian
Business Conference at the Conrad Bali Resort and Spa here on
Monday, that there are now 18,102 Indonesian students currently
studying in Indonesia, down from 20,336 students in 2003.

While Australia remains the number one study destination for
Indonesian students, the significant fall in the number of
enrollments should be taken seriously by Australian education
institutions.

IDP's survey, covering more than 2,000 Indonesian students in
2004, recently indicated the main reasons for the downturn.

The increasing value of Australian dollar and increasing
tuition fees charged by Australian universities are among the
major problems.

Concerns over racism and antagonism towards Muslims that
targeted Indonesian communities has also seriously affected
enrollments.

Over the last couple of years, Australia has gradually lost
its attractiveness and competitiveness in the world of education
because there are greater opportunities elsewhere in the region.

"More and more countries including the United States, the
United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia are now offering
and marketing their education facilities to Indonesian students,"
Winarto said.

The United States, for instance, has been offering easier
processing of student visas since 2004.

The U.S. also allows foreign students to work in the country
while they pursue their education.

Similarly, the United Kingdom also offers easier access for
overseas students, allowing them to work up to 20 hours a week --
enough for them to supplement their allowances.

On the other hand, Australia strictly forbids foreign students
to work.

Many experts have revealed the significant role that education
plays in bridging the differences among governments and peoples
of the two countries, so efforts to ease visa procedures and
decrease tuition fees are badly needed.

Michael Fay, associate director of ASEAN Focus, has called on
private and government-owned institutions to work harder and to
provide more opportunities for Indonesian students, teachers and
lecturers to study in Australia.

"Yes, it is true that there are many Indonesian students in
Australia, but most of them are rich Chinese Indonesians who can
afford education in Australia," Fay said, adding that there
should be more effort to attract bright Indonesian students under
various government and private assistance programs.

He also called on the Australian government to allow
Australian students to visit Indonesia, and to lift travel
advisories to provide them with cultural, social and political
understanding about Indonesia.

Travel advisories and strict visa processing by Australia
against Indonesia are two of the major concerns raised by
Indonesian officials during the two-day business conference,
saying that it does not fit with the spirit of improving flows of
people between the two countries.