UQ International students may benefit from new work visa arrangements

valorises having lots of information and being able to give it back on demand. You can be very rigorous using a more flexible approach, so long as you have clear educational goals and a clear means of assessing whether those goals are being met. Unfortunately, most of the testing instruments being used around the world value quite specific forms of information, rather than more flexible problem solving and problem finding skills.

Teachers are indeed put in a very difficult position: how to balance the desire for individualised, flexible, creative, forward-looking education, on the one hand, with ‘on demand’ mastery of information, on the other. Like other professionals, teachers have to be able to balance these demands, to be fair to the students, the broader society, and the teacher’s own value system — and to do so while still being able to have a family, relax, listen to music and, yes, even sleep 7-8 hours a night. A tall order!

Are today’s parents being unreasonable in expecting their children to excel in many areas? What would you term the single, biggest challenge faced by a) students, b) teachers and c) parents?

Parents need to avoid positive and negative narcissism. Positive narcissism says “The one thing that I could do is play the violin. Therefore you must play the violin.” Negative narcissism says “The one thing that I could not do is play the violin. Therefore, you must play the violin.” The challenge is to watch your children very carefully, see what interests and excites them, and find ways to help them follow that talent/passion/ curiosity. This does not mean ignoringwhat is important in school, but it does mean realising that life is more than school, and that finding one’s passion can make the difference between a fulfilled life and a frustrating life.

I’ve talked about the challenges facing the teacher (balancing too many demands) and the parent (avoiding various forms of narcissism and attending instead to the child’s own interests and passions). As for challenges facing the child, realising that in the end it is your life, to be lived for decades in the future, and if no one else is taking your welfare into account, you have to seize that responsibility for yourself.-hindu.com

Recent reforms to work visa arrangements for international students may make it easier for students to find employment in Australia after graduation. School of Tourism student Simon Yang Xiao is taking the initiative to start his career now in the graduate program with the Brisbane Mar r i o t t H o t e l . The reforms following the Michael Knight Review of the student visa system include a new post-study work visa for university students commencing study from 2012. This will enable international students to apply to work after graduation in Australia for two years after the completion of a Bachelor degree or Masters Coursework, three years for Masters Research, and four years for PHD students. Mr. Xiao is one of the first international students admitted to the Marriott Brisbane Graduate Management Program and hopes it will “fast- track” his career. “Since the Marriott program will offer me on the job training in every department of the hotel, it will help me to learn the most important skills in a short period of time,” he said.

Mr. Xiao will do rotations in all areas of hotel operations as part of the 18 month program.

“The Brisbane Marriott hotel is known as one of the best hotels in Brisbane or even in Australia, so it is better to learn

“I love travelling, experiencing different cultures, and working with people from different backgrounds, That is the reason I studied hotel management and want to work within the tourism industry. Hopefully, I aim to be a general manager of a hotel in the not too distant future.”

from the best. Upon graduation I had been looking for jobs in three countries- China, Singapore and Australia and received offers from all three countries. Since the Brisbane Marriott offered me a position in the highly competitive Graduate Management Program, I chose to stay in Australia,” he said.

After he has completed the program, Mr. Xiao’s five-year plan is to work as a supervisor or assistant manager. He then hopes to gain experience in conference and event management.

“I love travelling, experiencing different cultures, and working with people from different backgrounds, that is the reason I studied hotel management and want to work within the tourism industry. Hopefully, I aim to be a general manager of a hotel in the not too distant future.”