Melbourne, September 16: Assuring International students, including those from India, of their protection in Australia, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said that she was open to the idea of establishing a student advisory body to look into their concerns.
Concerned about the students from far off countries studying in Australia, the country assured safety and security for the International students by presenting an idea to set up a student advisory body to look into their concerns.
The decision came following the racial conflict considering the Indian students in several Australian cities.
Inaugurating a two-day International Student Roundtable Conference in Canberra on Monday, the deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard announced that the government was taking necessary steps to protect overseas students and that parents had every right to be concerned by the spate of attacks on their children.
“When you’re talking about these grossly objectionable, violent incidents, you’re talking about a number of less than 10 and we are talking about around 100,000 Indian students in the country,” she said on Monday at the conference in Canberra.
“But I can understand why, having seen even one incident – mums and dads having sent their sons and daughters far from home to study would be concerned. We’re responding to those concerns,” she said.
Gillard called for the free participation of students on their matters concerned.
“Your willingness to participate and communicate your ideas will make a real difference,” she told the students.
Their views will feed straight into COAG deliberations on how to boost the International student experience, she said.
—Agencies