Australia
is a Commonwealth country in the Southern Hemisphere with a population of
approximately 22 million. The capital city, Canberra, although perhaps not the
most famous or largest of Australia’s cities, is the governmental and
administrative centre of the country.
As the
most economically developed country in the region, Australia is a popular study destination for students from Asia and beyond. Australia takes a very ‘western’
approach to its political, cultural and educational philosophies. In the
Programme for International Student Assessment, Australia regularly scores
among the top five of thirty major developed countries.
Australia has 38 universities, the majority of which
receive government funding. This has helped to establish a well respected and highly
sought after system of higher education, and the highest ratio of international
to local students in tertiary education of the OECD countries.
In addition to Australian universities there is a
state-based system of vocational training known as TAFE Institutes. This
combination of public funding and variety of quality educational institutes has
helped approximately 58% of Australians aged from 25 to 64 to hold vocational
or tertiary qualifications.
The high
academic standard of the Australian universities in combination with beautiful nature,
nice beaches and a friendly atmosphere make it a very popular destination for
people from all around the world.
