Australia to Focus on Tier-II Cities for Trade,Investment & Education

[sajiv]

COIMBATORE: Australia is looking at Indian tier-II cities to further bilateral ties, said Aminur Rahman, Australian Consul General.Inaugurating an education exhibition organised by Mentor Consultancy at the PSG Institutions here on Saturday, he said Australia was looking forward to working with Indian industries combining Australian technology with Indian expertise. The tier-II cities had a greater growth potential and were more receptive to new developments. Especially Coimbatore, had immense scope considering the number of textile mills, foundries and quality enterprises it possessed.

The Australian Government had been conducting several seminars and workshops throughout Indian cities as part of this ongoing relationship building process.This would cover technology transfer, licensing, and promoting technical research initiatives and investments. Student and faculty exchanges would be facilitated between Australian and Indian universities.In addition to trade, investment and education, exhibitions showcasing Australian culture, sports, and lifestyle would be organised, Mr. Rahman said.

Australian investment in India had touched 11 billion dollars and Indian investments in Australia amounted to 1.1 billion dollars. With a population of 21 million, the country was facing a shortage of skilled labour. India too faced a similar problem in terms of availability of skilled manpower. Partnerships in industrial, education and cultural fronts would enable both the countries to improve their existing relationship.

Australia was the second most preferred destination for Indian students mainly owing to its multicultural society, internationally recognised universities and open migration policy. Also, education in Australia was cheaper when compared with the U.K. and the U.S. However, it depended on the course, the university and the location. It had 64,000 Indians and the number was steadily growing. The Australian universities also offered the best vocational training processes world over.

Mentor Consultancy, an education consultancy firm, had opened a Centre for Overseas Education and Development at the PSG College of Technology.The centre would not just offer access to information but, also explain to students the prospects, requirements and procedure involved in applying to Australian universities.