Australia woos back Indian students with subsidised travel

As part of its efforts to instill confidence among Indian students in the wake of attacks on them, Australian officials today said their government is looking at a slew of initiatives, including subsidised travel and affordable accommodation for them.

As part of its efforts to instill confidence among Indian students in the wake of attacks on them, Australian officials on Saturday said their government is looking at a slew of initiatives, including subsidised travel and affordable accommodation for them.

HT Image

The initiatives were aimed at helping Indian students who find accommodation expensive and were forced to opt for far flung areas, a visiting Australian delegation told reporters.

Professor Arun Sharma, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Commercialisation), Queensland University of Technology, said they were looking at Public Private Partnership model and some states had already initiated the process.

The student support programmes were aimed at providing information to students on housing, security, among others, Michelle Hoodbhoy, Director, International Services, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, said.

"We do not believe we are racial. Australia overall is a safe place to live in," Colin Walters, a senior official of the Australian Department of Education, heading the team, said.

The delegation has already visited Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai.