Aussie learning centre
|
IDP Education Australia, owned by 38 Australian universities, plans to open learning centres across the country, including Hyderabad, to provide Indian students a range of services.
|
With Australia emerging as the second sought-after overseas study destination after the US for an international education, IDP Education Australia that provides a range of services to help Australia- bound Indian students plans to open learning centres across the country, including Hyderabad.
With IDP's Global Students Mobility forecasts revealing that the demand from Indian students for Australian educational qualification is expected to grow steeply in the coming years, the IDP no wonder has embarked on a plan to open learning centres in 22 cities across the country.
What is a comforting factor to students is that the IDP Education Australia is a `not-for-profit' organisation owned by 38 Australian universities and represents about 300 educational institutions, says Sameena Ahmad, In-charge, AP Operations of IDP.
IDP has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad (Somajiguda), which conduct the IELTS test, a credible and widely recognised test to assess an individual's English proficiency. Plus it provides a range of services to Australia-bound students such as counselling, application, visa and enrolment services in the sectors of higher education or vocational education and training, English language courses, etc.
What is the aim of these learning centres? To train candidates in language courses and prepare them for IELTS and also for a number of other short-term and professional courses. Sameena says that transnational education, that is the provision of international education to students across borders through online learning, twinning programmes, offshore campuses or a combination of these modes, is a growing trend.
"Australia is a leader in this field and many international students are now able to pursue an Australian educational qualification while remaining in the comfort of their homes. Learning centres are of great help in this context too," she adds.
The first IDP learning centre was opened recently in Delhi and the Hyderabad centre is expected in the near future. "Apart from offering short preparatory courses soon to students who are planning to sit for the IELTS, we will be working in partnership with Australian universities, colleges and schools to provide a range of programmes of study at different levels, short-term and professional courses, using a combination of Internet-based learning and face-to-face teaching".
The learning centre would offer 40-hour, 20-hour and 10-hour modules to help candidates appearing for IELTS. The content for the language courses is being provided by ACL (the Australian Centre for Languages), a respected name in English language teaching and e-learning resources and support services, she adds.
Since the IDP opened an office in city in October 2003, more than 1,600 IELTS tests were conducted. As many as 88 per cent of students through Hyderabad office were interested in post-graduate studies, with nearly half electing to study in Victoria. The next preference is Queensland, she discloses.
The sought-after fields are IT, engineering, business management, followed by emerging areas like biotechnology, accountancy and pharmacy, health sciences.
By M.L. Melly Maitreyi
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Hyderabad
