Today I will travel to India and Indonesia to strengthen the education ties between our countries.
In India I will co-chair the annual meeting of the Australia India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) with my Indian counterpart the Hon. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
I will also visit Deakin University’s and University of Wollongong’s Indian campuses, which will soon open.
These are the first two international universities to be approved to set up a campus in India.
Deakin University will open applications for students next week and both universities are expected to accept students from mid-2024.
This demonstrates how highly regarded our universities are in India, and the commitment from Australian universities to work with India to implement their National Education Policy.
It also shows the depth and strength of the relationship between our two countries.
This highlights that international education is not a one-way street, it is not just about international students coming to Australia, it is increasingly about Australian universities going to the world.
As part of this visit, I will lead delegation of higher education leaders, which will include:
- Professor Iain Martin – Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University
- Professor Patricia M. Davidson – Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Wollongong
- Professor Peter Høj AC – Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Adelaide
- Professor Renèe Leon PSM – Vice-Chancellor and President, Charles Sturt University
- Professor Pascale Quester – Vice-Chancellor and President, Swinburne University of Technology
- Professor Adam Shoemaker – Vice-Chancellor and President, Victoria University
- Professor Susan Elliott AM – Interim Vice-Chancellor and President, Monash University
- Professor Mark Hoffman – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice-President, University of Newcastle
- Mr Iain Watt – Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice-President (International), University of Technology Sydney
- Ms Jodi McKay – Director, Australia-India CEO Forum and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow South Asia, Western Sydney University
- The Hon Lisa Singh – Chief Executive Officer, Australia India Institute
- Ms Catriona Jackson – Chief Executive Officer, Universities Australia
- Ms Vicki Thomson – Chief Executive Officer and Director, Group of Eight
- The Hon Phil Honeywood – Chief Executive Officer, International Education Association of Australia
- Mr Paul Harris – Executive Director, Innovative Research Universities
I will also travel to Indonesia to help launch Western Sydney University’s new Surabaya campus.
At the moment, one Australian university has a campus in Indonesia, Monash University.
In July this year, Prime Minister Albanese and President Widodo at the Annual Leaders’ Meeting announced that Deakin University, Central Queensland University and Western Sydney intend to establish campuses in Indonesia.
