Australian magic still casts a spell on Bangalore students

Unperturbed by the racial attacks against Indians in Australia, students in the city are eager to study in universities down under.

Testimony to this was the general response at the Australian Education Fair, organised as part of the Australian Education Excellence Showcase 2011 in the city on Thursday.

“The attacks that took place are just random ones. It does not happen to everybody. It’s just been blown out of proportion. That’s definitely not a factor that would deter me from studying in Australia,” said medical student Karishma Shah, who attended the fair. “Plus I have my relative, so I feel safer,” she said.

Terming the racial attacks as stray cases, another student Skanda Shastry said that the issue had been hyped up a little too much.
“They happen in India too. They are just stray cases and it’s been hyped up in India,” said Shastry, who explored higher education opportunities in Australia.

“We know what is happening. But it happens everywhere. You can’t stop and sit back because of a few cases,” said another student, aspiring to study in an overseas country.
The results of the Australian Education International, 2010 International Student survey, released at a seminar at the fair, found that Indians were the most satisfied among foreign students.

“Although it is true that the number of Indian students has come down in 2010, we have been working on enhancing the student experience for foreigner students,” said Peter Nolan, counsellor (education), from the Australian High Commission.

New and stricter visa rules, increase in exchange rate of the Australian dollar may be the minor reasons, said Nolan.
The trend for Indian student, said Nolan, was to take up courses in Management, Business and Information Technology. The number of medical students was growing, he said.

“We also want to encourage students from Australia to study in India. We are keen on creating an exchange programme,” said Nolan.