The Australian High Commission in conjunction with Austrade has recently opened a Study In Australia Information Centre. Its establishment is seen as a valuable means of increasing the already strong numbers of Mauritian students going to Australia to study. The Study In Australia Information Centre has brochures and a computer with Internet access to enable prospective students to consult university web sites. Promotional CD-roms are also available there. Austrade will also edit a general information sheet outlining details such as scholarships, visa requirements and the university agents in Mauritius. The centre will also provide information on the various distance-learning programmes available in Australia.

An exhibition organised by IDP Education Australia was also held at Labourdonnais Hotel last week to present the different opportunities. Career counselling sessions and presenta- tions on Media, Tourism and Information Technology were also organised to give in-depth information to students. Every year about 500 Mauritian students fly to Australia for tertiary studies. Christine Faugoo, director of IDP Education Australia in Mauritius, explains that “in the past few years, the number of Mauritian students studying in Australia has risen dramatically. While in 1998, there only about 80 students, this number has now soared to 500”.

Australian educational institutions are so popular because they offer a unique educational experience. “The courses in Australian universities are modern, challenging, career orientated and thus appeal to students all over the world,” says Christine Faugoo. Australia also offers a myriad of other advantages: an ideal climate and a high quality of life, which makes it one of the best countries of the world to live and study in. In fact, Melbourne has just been named the “most livable city in the world.” It is also cheaper for a student to go to Australia than to the United States or Great Britain. Students also have the possibility of working 20 hours a week with their student visa and may thus partly fund their studies.