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Going down under – graduate programs in Australia
Australian universities have been amongst the most successful of all in attracting high quality international students to their graduate programs. Attracted by a combination of the unique Australian lifestyle, the international atmosphere of many of the campuses and the global recognition of Australian graduate qualifications, could the country be your perfect destination?
More Australians are studying at the graduate level than ever before. The availability of specialist courses relevant to today's changing workplace is one of the main reasons for this rapidly increasing interest in graduate learning. Australian students are not the only ones benefiting – more than a third of all graduate students at Australian universities are from other countries, with a large number originating from the Pacific Rim countries.
For many years Australia has been a popular destination for students from around the world.
The country offers innovative courses with highly trained academic staff and world-class facilities producing well regarded graduate students sought after in the international labour market.
Universities receive generous government funding and the cost of an Australian degree is significantly lower than in the UK and USA. Moreover, the quality of Australian higher education and degrees is recognised around the world. The Australian Government regulates universities and all courses offered to international students must be approved on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Graduate studies in Australia
Australia has 39 universities spread across the country; 37 of these are government-funded and two are privately funded. The universities range in size from 3,000 students to 50,000. Australian graduate studies are offered across a complete range of fields. Qualifications include graduate certificates and diplomas, master, master of philosophy, doctorate and doctor of philosophy (PhD). Studies can be undertaken as coursework or research, or a combination of both.
The quality of Australian universities is further enhanced by international links, industry collaboration and a commitment to research.
Australia has more than 100 major scientific specialist research centres and is ranked third among OECD countries for public investment in research and development as a proportion of the GDP. The country is recognised as a world leader in a number of research fields.
Anne Reynolds from IDP explains that Australia has a history of breakthrough research: "Australian innovation has changed our everyday lives – from penicillin and ultrasounds to black box flight recorders and the bionic ear. Today, there are advances being made in all fields. Australia particularly excels in the areas of genetics, biotechnology, nanotechnology and sports."
Innovative courses: from cancer research to supercomputers
Australian universities have designed a whole range of graduate courses to meet the professional needs of students and business. Courses are offered across both traditional and non-traditional areas.
As Australian universities respond to changing global demands, they have become innovators in many areas of education. The following are just some examples of the innovative graduate courses at Australian universities - www.idp.com/excellenceaustralia has more information on other specialist courses. IDP also publishes a digest on biotechnology courses and research at Australian universities.
Australia provides amazing opportunities and locations for environmental studies from the tropical to the Antarctic. For example, the University of Tasmania is a major world centre for Antarctic-related research, which has led to a greater understanding of the atmospheric circulations of the south-polar region and the continental ice sheet in relation to global environmental change and biological productivity.
An Australian university set up the world's first dedicated proteome centre in 1995. The Australian Proteome Analysis Facility at Macquarie University is currently researching using protein analysis in cancer research. Other biotechnology research centres in Australia include: the Australian Genome Research Facility; the Centre for Bio-information Sciences; the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre; and the Special Research Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development.
Through the University of Southern Queensland, Australia boasts an organisation that focuses on the research and commercialisation of plants and their products. It is the only centre in the world to cover the commercial development of plant products under one roof from genetics and phytochemistry through to field trials and clinical trials of the products.
