15 February 2010
Find your feet when touching down
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, Minister for Education, Bronwyn Pike, and RMIT University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, at the welcome desk.
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International students arriving at Melbourne Airport this month are receiving a warm welcome and information on living and studying in Melbourne through a student welcome desk.
The desk has been set up by the Office of Knowledge Capital, a collaboration between the City of Melbourne and Victorian universities.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said: “With Victoria attracting 190,000 international student enrolments in 2009 and almost 30,000 of those living or studying in the City of Melbourne, we are strongly committed to helping international students settle in and feel safe throughout their Melbourne study experience.
“Melbourne has a lot to offer international students with our strong reputation as a world-class university city, our diverse culture and welcoming spirit – and the City of Melbourne is strongly committed to providing a positive experience for all our visitors.”
RMIT University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, a member of the Victorian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, said that moving to a new country could be challenging for students.
“Collectively, the sector is working with government and industry to help make the transition to living in Melbourne easier.
“This initiative complements RMIT’s free airport pick-up service and our comprehensive international support services,” Professor Gardner said.
Minister for Education, Bronwyn Pike, congratulated the Office of Knowledge Capital and its partners on the welcome desk, adding that the Victorian Government was supporting international students with a new $2.7 million package.
The 2010 Student Welcome Desk is at Melbourne Airport for four weeks until 21 February, and again in July for two weeks, to meet peak student arrival times.
The welcome desk is funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, the City of Melbourne, Austrade, Australian Education International, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, IDP Education, Melbourne Airport, Telstra, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and Unilodge and Victoria’s major universities.
