Minister Barr: Canberra officially welcomes new students
- Written by ACT Government
Released 09/03/2018
Canberra has marked the start of the academic year by welcoming over 16,000 new students from Canberra, interstate and from countries around the world into our world-class tertiary education institutions and into our community at a ceremony at the National Museum this morning.
Canberra educates over 64,000 tertiary students each year and around 1 in 6 people either work or study at a tertiary institution in Canberra. These students make an enormous contribution to the cultural life of our city and are an important contributor to our local economy.
International education is Canberra’s largest export at $786 million and is growing rapidly, accounting for 40 per cent of the ACT’s total export activity in 2016-17.
As our number one export, the tertiary education and research sector remains a key focus for the ACT Government, as we continue to build on our strengths to diversify the local economy.
At today’s welcome event I assured students that Canberra’s strong growth is creating job opportunities in future industries including space, health and sports, agriculture and the environment, and renewable energy.
Minister for Higher Education, Research and Training, Meegan Fitzharris said one of our ambitions for Canberra is to attract and retain talented people and she hopes many of the students we’re welcoming today will decide to make Canberra their home.
“Study Canberra’s 2018 Student Ambassadors have been helping the new students settle into the Canberra community, with a welcome desk at the airport and attendance at campus O-weeks. This year’s Student Ambassadors include local, interstate and overseas students from 17 countries, representing five institutions and ACT Government Schools.
“Word is already out that Canberra is one of the best places in the world to visit, and with Study Canberra and the Canberra community giving students a welcoming and inclusive experience, Canberra is recognised as one of the top 25 cities in the world to study by QS World.”
Find out more by visiting http://www.studycbr.com.au/or visiting the Study Canberra social pages.
- Statement ends -
Section: Meegan Fitzharris, MLA | Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
