News and Opportunities
Austrade update 13 April 2011
13 Apr 2011
Austrade Update provides news about recent Austrade activities of interest to the education sector
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Cloud computing featured in education workshop series
Austrade Indonesia recently began a series of ongoing Austrade Indonesia education workshop events, designed to showcase Australian education excellence in various sectors through engagement with the relevant industry sectors. Another key objective of the workshop series is to maintain close engagement with Australian alumni now working across a range of sectors in Indonesia. The first workshop was planned around an in-depth session on cloud computing. Cloud computing is a significant new trend in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The cloud computing workshop, held on 16 March, is part of Austrade Indonesia’s education strategy to raise the profile of Australia’s high quality education sector.
For the opening ICT/Cloud Computing workshop session, Austrade secured three prominent speakers: Mr Indra Utoyo, CIO of PT Telkom Indonesia Tbk, who spoke about the era of cloud computing, Professor Rajkumar Buyya from the University of Melbourne, who delivered the presentation on cloud computing and application development platforms, live from Melbourne via video conference and Ms Silvia Rivena, an alumnus from the University of New South Wales, who is general manager of PT Sun Microsystems Indonesia.
The Australian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission, Mr Paul Robilliard, opened the workshop, which was attended by more than 80 participants. Austrade invited a wide range of contacts including Indonesian Information Technology (IT) companies, Australian alumni working in the IT field, as well as local universities. The workshop series also aims to create a closer network among Australian alumni, Indonesian universities, and businesses in various industry sectors, with Australian education as the focal point.
Austrade Indonesia will run these workshops regularly and will invite Australian institutions to feature their academic excellence in various topics by providing keynote speakers. The next workshops are scheduled for July and August. Australian institutions from both the higher education and vocational education sectors that wish to express their interest or seek more information about participating in the Austrade Indonesia Workshop Series should contact the Austrade Indonesia Education Team:
Austrade Indonesia will endeavour to incorporate Australian education speakers into the future workshop series schedule.
Left to right: Julianne Merriman, Trade & Investment Commissioner Austrade Jakarta; Mr Indra Utoyo, CIO PT Telkom Indonesia Tbk; Mr Paul Robilliard, Deputy Head of Mission Australian Embassy Jakarta.
Inaugural Australian Alumni Awards in Singapore
Nine outstanding alumni were recognised for their achievements and contribution to Australian education at the Austrade Singapore inaugural Australian Alumni Awards.
Singapore’s Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan was presented the Eminent Alumni Award, the highest honour of the Australian Alumni Awards, at the Australian High Commission.
Humbled by receiving his award, Minister Khaw acknowledged how he had benefited from Australian generosity during a time when a tertiary education was the privilege of a minority. He also pledged to continue to do his best to strengthen bilateral relations with Australia.
Other recipients included, for the Distinguished Australian Alumni Service Award:
- Tan Swee Keng, Peggy – Vice-President, Australian Alumni Singapore (Bachelor of Applied Science, Curtin University of Technology, 1989)
- Simon Ho Khee Lim – President, Southern Cross University Alumni Association Singapore and Associate Lecturer, MDIS (Master of Business Administration, Southern Cross University, 2001)
- Bill Chua – Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Global Markets and Investment Management, United Overseas Banking Group (Colombo Plan Scholar, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Engineering, University of Newcastle, 1976 and 1977 respectively)
- Dr Kia Ngee Chew – Chairman, AusGroup Ltd (PhD, Business and Management, University of South Australia, 1998)
- Seah Kim Swee – President, Victoria University Alumni Singapore (Master of Business, Professional Accounting, Victoria University, 1997).
The following recipients received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award:
- Nur Dian Binte Mohamad Rasid – Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Temasek Polytechnic (Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Western Australia, 2005 and Masters of Social Science, University of South Australia 2007, Honours in Psychology 2009, James Cook University)
- Dr Peter Arnold Waring – Deputy Chief Executive Officer, University of Newcastle, Singapore (Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Doctor of Philosophy in 1995, 1996, 2000 respectively, University of Newcastle)
- Khoo Sze Boon – Executive Director, Davis Langdon & Seah Singapore (Bachelor of Building, Construction Economics, University of Technology Sydney, 1999).
There are more than 100 000 Australian alumni in Singapore. This number will continue to grow, with more than 9500 Singaporean students studying in Australia last year and more than 23 000 students from Singapore and around the region studying for an Australian qualification in Singapore.
David Twine, Regional Director of Southeast Asia, South Asia and Pacific, gave a keynote address to more than 200 highly distinguished alumni from various senior leadership positions across government, commerce and academia in Singapore.
David added that Australian alumni have created a vast network of connections and relationships between Australians and Singaporeans and around the world. These connections and linkages are the engine of growth between the two countries, in trade and investment.
Left to right: Peter Mackey, Education Commissioner (SEASAP); Elodie Journet, Trade Commissioner (Singapore); David Twine, Regional Director (SEASAP); Singapore’s Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan; H.E. Doug Chester, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore; and Kirsten Sayers, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner (Singapore)
Perspectives fair reveals change in Polish study patterns
The Study in Australia stand at the Perspectives Education Fair in Warsaw in March drew a constant stream of students, with more than 200 expressing a serious interest in studying in Australia.
The profile of Polish students interested in studying in Australia has changed in recent times and the fair reflected this trend. A few years ago the bulk of enquiries about Australia were from Polish masters graduates. At this year's fair, however, the majority of information seekers were high school students, in particular International Baccalaureate students.
There was also strong interest from graduates looking for masters courses in Australia, preferably of one-year duration.
While a variety of courses, from medicine to engineering, attracted strong interest, most students visiting the stand wanted information on business and humanities.
Students did express some concerns about high tuition costs in Australia, especially with the current strong Australian dollar. Despite this, however, Australian education in general remains an attractive proposition to Poles.
The two Australian universities present commented on the high quality of the students visiting the SIA stand and attending their seminar, saying they were well prepared and knew exactly what they were looking for.
Participation in the fair was particularly useful both as a promotional vehicle for positioning Australia as a quality education provider, and also to see first-hand the changing expectations of Poles in terms of international education. Today's students are contemplating an overseas study experience much earlier than previously.
Australia was one of 13 countries participating in what is Poland’s largest education fair. Germany and France, this year’s guests of honour, had more than 30 institutions represented.
Ewa Solecka-Drew from Central Queensland University (second from left) with Austrade staff (left to right): Bozena Swierbutowicz, BDM; Magda Marcinkiewicz; and Paul Sanda, Warsaw DRSTC