Share this article on...
Contact Us
- Report errors or inaccuracies topmba@qsnetwork.com
- Contribute articles contribute@qsnetwork.com
- Advertise advertise@qsnetwork.com
Postgraduate study booms Downunder
More Australians are studying at the postgraduate 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 postgraduate learning.
More Australians are studying at the postgraduate 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 postgraduate learning.
Australian students are not the only ones benefiting - last year, no less than 36 per cent of postgraduate students at Australian universities were from other countries. Australia is a popular destination for students from around the world. The country offers innovative courses with highly trained academic staff and world-class facilities. Universities receive generous government funding, and the cost of an Australian degree is significantly lower than in the UK and USA.
The quality of Australian higher education and degrees is recognised around the world. Universities are regulated by the Australian Government and all courses offered to international students must be approved on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). A strong support network is provided to overseas students through the international student office in every university.
Postgraduate 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 postgraduate studies are offered across a complete range of fields. Qualifications include postgraduate 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. It is ranked third among OECD countries for public investment in research and development as a proportion of the GDP.
Australia is a world leader in a number of research fields. To promote the success of this postgraduate work, IDP Education Australia, a global organisation owned by Australian universities, has developed the Excellence Australia project. Anne Reynolds, director of the project, 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 postgraduate 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.
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.
Monash University in Melbourne has made important advances in intelligent computing with the establishment of the Olympic Games Knowledge Services (OGKS). Allowing the knowledge gained from running an Olympic Games to be shared with future host cities, OGKS is an important step in organisational capabilities that will benefit future international events.
Development of supercomputers has brought success to researchers in the field of astrophysics at Swinburne University of Technology. Using a dedicated supercomputer to process data, Australian scientists have found more "millisecond" pulsars in the plane of the galaxy than the rest of the world combined.
