Twenty nine representatives from Victorian universities, TAFEs and private vocational institutions returned this week from Victoria’s largest ever education trade mission to Latin America.
The successful mission, led by the Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert, visited Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru, building educational partnerships and identifying capacity building and reform opportunities.
Mr Herbert made a series of key announcements during the Latin American education trade mission including:
- Four new scholarships for the brightest Latin American students to study PhDs in Victorian universities from 2016, focusing on areas of common interest including water and urban management, medical and agricultural research
- A visit of 30 senior university and research agency fellows from Latin America to Victoria in September 2015 as part of the Australian Government’s Australia Awards Fellowships (AAF)
- The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian state of Paraná to cooperate in a range of areas, including providing a Research Skills Course
- Securing an Andrews Labor Government supported inbound trade mission to Melbourne in September 2015 for more than 20 senior Latin American vocational education and training experts.
The Latin American trade mission forms part of a long-term market engagement plan between Victoria and key countries in Latin America. Delegates included senior leaders and researchers from Victoria’s universities and TAFEs.
In 2014, Melbourne and Victoria attracted more than 170,000 international student enrolments, of which more than 9,000 were from Latin America, including around 160 PhD students.
International education is one of the six key sectors with the potential for extraordinary growth, which the Labor Government will invest in to drive our economy and create jobs now and into the future.
The sector comprises both overseas students studying in our cities and regions and Victorian institutions exporting our education system to the world.
International education is Victoria’s single largest export sector, generating $4.7 billion in earnings and supporting more than 32,000 jobs.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert
“Latin America is an emerging market, with a rising number of students and a high demand for quality education that Victoria can supply.”
“Our education trade missions are building international partnerships and boosting the number of students that come to Victoria, which will drive growth and create jobs.”
“International education is our single largest export sector. It has the potential for extraordinary growth, and we’re targeting it to get Victoria back to work.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020