2003年5月13日,澳大利亚联邦政府公布了2003-2004年度财政预算，其中,教育预算计划总额为一亿一千三百万澳元。此举旨在促进澳大利亚国际教育的全面推广。
2003-2004年度的财政预算重点包括：
·实施质量保障措施，确保招收海外学生的澳大利亚教育机构的教学质量，杜绝违法行为；
·发展自我规范体系，确保澳大利亚的境外办学质量；
·优化学生签证的管理，杜绝舞弊和作假行为；
·推出新的签证类别，即专业发展签证(Professional Development Visa)和学生监护人签证(Student Guardian Visa)；
·向四个从事教育、科学创新和旅游领域研究的国际知名研究中心提供拨款；
·建立研究项目奖学金，吸引海外优秀学生赴澳深造；同时向澳大利亚语言教学人员的短期海外培训项目提供资助；
·成立国家语言中心，加强语言技能和商务文化技能培训。
研究项目奖学金主要包括两类奖学金项目：一是海外研究生研究奖学金(IPRS)项目，自1996年至2002年的六年间共资助702名中国学生赴澳就读研究生课程；二是澳亚政府奖学金(Australia-Asia Award)，2003年共有2名中国学者获得这一奖学金。
这一政府预算将在未来的4年中实施。
调查显示，澳大利亚的学费和生活费远低于美国和英国，是费用最低廉的海外留学目的地之一。澳大利亚的这一优势地位并不会受到学生签证费上调(从2003年7月1日起学生签证费上涨85澳元)和各院校招收海外学生专项注册费用(每位学生25澳元，此费用包含在学费内)的影响。需要特别声明的是，最近关于澳大利亚将大幅增收学费和杂费的消息是不属实的。
目前，中国学生人数占在澳大利亚所有海外学生人数的第一位。截止至2003年5月共有三万五千名中国学生在澳就读。在所有英语国家中，在澳大利亚留学的海外学生人数位居第三。作为澳大利亚第三大出口服务产业，教育给澳大利亚带来每年五十多亿澳元的收入。海外学生赴澳学习，有利于加强澳大利亚对外经贸往来，促进澳大利亚与其他国家在科研领域的交流与合作，从而极大地推动着澳大利亚的经济发展。
如欲了解更多详情，请与澳大利亚驻华使领馆教育处联系。
北京:澳大利亚驻华大使馆教育处电话：010 6532 2331转145传真：010 6532 5585电子邮件：sia.beijing@dfat.gov.au
上海:澳大利亚驻上海总领事馆教育处电话：021 5292 5500转210传真：021 5292 5267电子邮件：sia.shanghai@dfat.gov.au
广州:澳大利亚驻广州总领事馆教育处电话：020 8335 5911转213传真：020 8332 5280电子邮件：sia.guangzhou@dfat.gov.au
(澳大利亚大使馆供稿)
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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
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