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Wednesday, 29 June 2011

Our International Centre's recent annual planning forum was an occasion to again consider the University's strategic direction.

Our aim is to ‘achieve international excellence' and, in striving for that goal, we continue to develop global research relationships and to improve the quality of our student experience.

Geographically isolated on the west coast of Australia, we are very pleased to welcome international students and to welcome partnerships with international universities.

It is sometimes said that Australia's recruitment of international students is an industry but I dislike this word as it implies that the benefits of doing so are one-way in Australia's favour. This is far from the truth. Everyone benefits from international exchange.

Australian students and researchers benefit and so do our international students and researchers, many of whom go on to play major roles in the development of their own regions. It is also the case that Australia won't advance unless we encourage our students to study internationally through reciprocal student partnerships.

At UWA, 36 per cent of research papers published have an international co-author. This high rate is indicative of the value of international collaboration. This point is further highlighted by the fact that if a paper has a co-author from either the UK or the US it is likely to be cited twice as often, and if it has co-authors from both the UK and the US it is likely to be cited eight times more often.

Our international outlook offers fundamental opportunity for enhancement of educational programs and research capacity, as well as being a crucial step in achieving higher levels of overall performance compared to best practice worldwide.

Our University enjoys very strong links with many nations. Through the World Universities Network and the Matariki Network we are building new research relationships. Although we have not been a member of the WUN for long, UWA is playing a significant role. We are strongly engaged with the network and have been awarded 11 out of 17 recent WUN grants as a result.

While we welcome high performing undergraduate students from overseas, who make up 20 per cent of our undergraduate cohort, we are also keen to attract more higher degree by research and masters coursework students. Currently 33 per cent of our higher degree by research students are international. This level enables a greater degree of knowledge transfer and mutual benefits.

As reported in this column some time ago, the Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor Dr Boediono, said of his time at UWA as a Colombo Plan student: "If someone asked me, what was the greatest influence that this institution has had on me personally, I would say that it was its contribution to the formation of my attitude toward people and toward society. Yes, the basic building blocks of my subsequent view of the world... With my UWA experience, and credentials, new doors of opportunity suddenly opened up for me."

By engaging with the world, new doors of opportunity will open for us all too.

Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson

UWA News 27 June 2011

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