Australia, NZ top destination for international studies
A whole world of possibilities has come within reach as we all integrate into the global community. Not only has the planet become smaller as more and more trading happens between nations, overseas employment is more common and earning academic credentials outside of one’s locality is now possible.
With the study-abroad option opened, the choices available to students have vastly widened. The choices of destinations, courses and programs and institutions are virtually unlimited.
So, why not study abroad? It’s a chance to experience different environments, be immersed in other cultures, make new friends, expand your horizons. The advantages are numerous.
Australia and New Zealand stand out among the world’s most friendly hosts to international students. Both also offer an excellent range of institutions, academic programs, lifestyle options, extra- academic activities and working-while-studying opportunities.
Australia is considered an educational powerhouse. Its high-quality system coupled with professors of the finest pedigree has enabled Australia’s over 2.5 million international alumni to make their respective marks all over the world. A fifth of the world’s population relies daily on products of Australian discovery and innovation- penicillin, wireless fidelity, in-vitro fertilization and the black box flight recorder, among others – and Australia has produced Nobel prize laureates in various fields. It has eight out of the world’s top 100 universities and five cities out of the 30 “best student cities” worldwide.
New Zealand, on the other hand, offers an emerging practical alternative in international education. The academic system values independent study and New Zealanders encourage original thinking. As its people believe in the primacy of literacy, the government invests heavily in education. New Zealand’s educational system is patterned after the British System. All of New Zealand’s national and public universities have been established through acts of Parliament. There are also 25 governmentfunded Polytechnics and Institutes of Technology offering programs that may be academically-focused or vocationally-oriented.
Filipino students can comfortably adjust to the temperate climates of Australia and New Zealand, allowing them to engage in a variety of activities. Extreme conditions are not experienced in most areas of these countries. Herald Evan Ong, who finished a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations from the University of Sydney says, “The weather is just right in Australia, in fact, cool, and we always had lots of fun both indoors and out.”
Both also have some of the world’s most exciting tourist sites and adventure destinations. The Queensland territory of Australia alone hosts the Riversleigh Fossil Fields, The Wet Tropics, The Great Barrier Reef (which is one of the Eight Wonders of the World), The Scenic Rim and Fraser Island ( the biggest sand island in the world), all World Heritage Areas.
The universities, colleges and technical and vocational institutions of these two countries present many possibilities for the international student – from short- term certificate courses t o full undergraduate programs and post- graduate degrees.
The credentials you earn from these institutions are your ticket to a brighter future. Certif- icates or diplomas earned from institutions in Australia and New Zealand are internationally- recognized.
On top of all these great features, these countries offer students the opportunity to be gainfully employed while studying, subject to certain conditions. They also allow visa extensions to allow students to gain poststudy qualifications upon completing certain programs.
Check out Australia or New Zealand at the Australia and New Zealand Education Exhibition 2015, from 11 am-5 pm on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City.
The Australia and New Zealand Education Exhibition is a yearly event organized by IDP Education Pty. Ltd., the world leader in student placement services and co-owner of the International English Language Testing System.