2003年5月13日,澳大利亞聯邦政府公布了2003-2004年度財政預算，其中,教育預算計劃總額為一億一千三百萬澳元。此舉旨在促進澳大利亞國際教育的全面推廣。

2003-2004年度的財政預算重點包括：

·實施質量保障措施，確保招收海外學生的澳大利亞教育機構的教學質量，杜絕違法行為；

·發展自我規范體系，確保澳大利亞的境外辦學質量；

·優化學生簽證的管理，杜絕舞弊和作假行為；

·推出新的簽證類別，即專業發展簽證(Professional Development Visa)和學生監護人簽證(Student Guardian Visa)；

·向四個從事教育、科學創新和旅游領域研究的國際知名研究中心提供撥款；

·建立研究項目獎學金，吸引海外優秀學生赴澳深造；同時向澳大利亞語言教學人員的短期海外培訓項目提供資助；

·成立國家語言中心，加強語言技能和商務文化技能培訓。

研究項目獎學金主要包括兩類獎學金項目：一是海外研究生研究獎學金(IPRS)項目，自1996年至2002年的六年間共資助702名中國學生赴澳就讀研究生課程；二是澳亞政府獎學金(Australia-Asia Award)，2003年共有2名中國學者獲得這一獎學金。

這一政府預算將在未來的4年中實施。

調查顯示，澳大利亞的學費和生活費遠低于美國和英國，是費用最低廉的海外留學目的地之一。澳大利亞的這一優勢地位并不會受到學生簽證費上調(從2003年7月1日起學生簽證費上漲85澳元)和各院校招收海外學生專項注冊費用(每位學生25澳元，此費用包含在學費內)的影響。需要特別聲明的是，最近關于澳大利亞將大幅增收學費和雜費的消息是不屬實的。

目前，中國學生人數占在澳大利亞所有海外學生人數的第一位。截止至2003年5月共有三萬五千名中國學生在澳就讀。在所有英語國家中，在澳大利亞留學的海外學生人數位居第三。作為澳大利亞第三大出口服務產業，教育給澳大利亞帶來每年五十多億澳元的收入。海外學生赴澳學習，有利于加強澳大利亞對外經貿往來，促進澳大利亞與其他國家在科研領域的交流與合作，從而極大地推動著澳大利亞的經濟發展。

如欲了解更多詳情，請與澳大利亞駐華使領館教育處聯系。

北京:澳大利亞駐華大使館教育處電話：010 6532 2331轉145傳真：010 6532 5585電子郵件：sia.beijing@dfat.gov.au

上海:澳大利亞駐上海總領事館教育處電話：021 5292 5500轉210傳真：021 5292 5267電子郵件：sia.shanghai@dfat.gov.au

廣州:澳大利亞駐廣州總領事館教育處電話：020 8335 5911轉213傳真：020 8332 5280電子郵件：sia.guangzhou@dfat.gov.au

(澳大利亞大使館供稿)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Australian Government Announces a Boost for International Education

The Australian Government has announced a comprehensive package worth more than million which will boost Australia's international education activities, as part of the 2003-2004Budget Announcement delivered on 13 May 2003.

Highlights of the budget package include:

·Strengthening enforcement measures which assure the quality and integrity of education providers in Australia which enrol overseas students;

·Development of a self-regulatory framework to enhance quality assurance for international students studying outside Australia;

·Boost the integrity of the student visa program;

·Introduce new visa classes for sponsored professional development and student guardian visas;

·Support four International Centres of Excellence in education, science and innovation, and tourism;

·Establish the Endeavour Program* of scholarships and fellowships to attract high performing students from around world to Australia and provide Australian language teachers with short-term overseas fellowships;

·Establish a new National Language Centre to boost language and business cultural skills.

*The Endeavour Program includes the continuing International Postgraduate Research Scholarships scheme, which has supported 702 Chinese postgraduate students between 1996 and 2002, and the Australia-Asia Awards program which provided two scholarships to Chinese students in 2003.

The Government's package will be introduced during the next four years.

Research shows that Australia continues to be one of the most affordable overseas study destinations, with costs of living and course fees significantly lower than the USA and UK. Australia's advantageous position will not be affected by the small increase in visa charges (up from 1 July 2003) and provider registration charges included in course fees (only per student). Reports that Australia will significantly increase tuition fees and other costs are not correct.

Education is Australia's third largest services export, representing over billion in national income per annum. Chinese students form the largestsgroupsof international students in Australia, with 35,000 enrolments in May 2003. International students provide the foundation for strong foreign and trade relations, as well as research and scientific exchanges and collaboration which are vital to Australia's economic growth and development. Australia has the third largest number of international students of English speaking nations.

Students or education agents seeking additional information are invited to contact

In Beijing:Education Office, Australian Embassy BeijingPh: 010 6532 2331, ext 145Fax: 010 6532 5585Email: sia.beijing@dfat.gov.au

In Shanghai:Education Office, Australian Consulate General ShanghaiPh: 021 5292 5500, ext 210Fax: 021 5292 5267Email: sia.shanghai@dfat.gov.au

In Guangzhou:Education Office, Australian Consulate General GuangzhouPh: 020 8335 5911, ext 213Fax: 020 8332 5280Email: sia.guangzhou@dfat.gov.au

更多精彩資訊請關注查字典資訊網，我們將持續為您更新最新資訊!