Postgraduate Guide for Participating in the Federal Government’s 2009 International Student Roundtable

Submitted by Nigel Palmer on Fri, 2009-08-07 11:47

The Federal Government has recently announced details of an International Students' Roundtable Meeting. 

 

Up to 30 participants will be selected based on their ability to represent the views of international students and their ability to work as part of a team to solve problems.  Participants will come from a mix of education sectors, states and territories, nationalities and cultural groupings broadly reflecting the mix of international students in Australia.

 

To be considered for an invitation to the Roundtable you will need to submit an application via an online form.  Below is an overview of the Roundtable, the questions you will need to answer, and some tips on how you might respond.

 

Steps, and things you will need to consider:

 

1.       Consider if you are interested in participating in the roundtable

2.       Check the outline below to ensure you are comfortable responding to each of the questions  (if yes, then)

3.       Contact your postgraduate association and let them know you are interested in participating

4.       Make a few notes on your own views in response to these questions and other issues of importance for international postgraduate students (bullet points are fine).  If you would like further background, you can have a look at CAPA’s detailed background paper on international postgraduate student issues

5.       Prepare your answers to each of the questions below (typing them out first can make completing the form easier, as you can then just copy-and-paste your responses)

6.       Complete and submit the form!

 

Your postgraduate association should be able to support you in responding to these, so you won't have to complete the application by yourself.  The next few pages outline a few tips to help make completing the form easier.

 

The Roundtable will take place on 14 and 15 September 2009 at Parliament House in Canberra. Participants will need to be able to arrive in Canberra on Sunday 13 September.  The Australian Government will pay travel and accommodation costs for participants who live outside of Canberra.

 

All applicants will be notified by 25 August whether they have been selected or not.

 

 

Please note that the closing date for applications is
midnight Saturday the 8th of August.

 

Tips on applying via the online form

 

Below are extracts of questions from the online form which will help you prepare your responses in advance.

 

General questions

Your answers to the following questions tell us about you, your interests and views as an international student. Your responses can be dot points or written in sentences as long as they fit within the box provided:

 

·         Nationality (as shown on your passport)

·         Education institution where you are currently studying

·         Course of study

·         Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) or passport number

·         When did you commence studying in Australia?(Month and Year)

Answers to these questions would typically include basic visa and enrolment information.

About your choice of Australia as a destination for study

Your answers to [the following] questions tell us about you, your interests and views as an international student. We are also interested to know how you work with others and about the way you approach solving problems.

·         Why did you come to Australia to study?

·         Why did you choose your institution and course of study?

·         What are your aspirations when you have completed your studies?

These questions give you the chance to say how and why you chose Australia as a destination for study.

General International Student Issues

·         What would you like to discuss at the International Student Roundtable?

·         What do you think your fellow students would like to have discussed at the International Student Roundtable? (nominate up to three issues)

These questions give you the opportunity to raise some of the issues you would be interested in talking about. These issues could include transport concessions, visa costs, accommodation, safety, course quality or any other issue that you feel is important for international postgraduate students.

Your experience as an international postgraduate student in Australia

·         What have been the main challenges for you as an international student in Australia?

·         From your experience, what are the positive aspects of being an international student in Australia?

·         Describe a time when you had to speak in public to a mixed audience e.g. a tutorial presentation to people of different cultural backgrounds, or speaking at a social function or community event etc.

·         Describe a situation where you have worked with others to solve a problem.

These questions invite you to describe your experience of being an international student in Australia, and give you the opportunity show that you will be able to participate effectively in the Roundtable discussion.  Experience on university and student organisation committees, and any examples of public speaking opportunities you may have had, would all be good examples to offer here.  It would also be worth mentioning any teaching experience you may have had, including hosting or leading tutorials, especially where you have been employed by the university to do so.

Ability to offer recommendations and work toward solutions

·         What do you think can be done to resolve some of the issues facing international students in Australia?

·         Tell us more about yourself and the activities you are involved in outside of studying (e.g. work experience, being an office bearer or active member of a student or community group).

·         Why do you want to participate in the International Student Roundtable?

These questions invite you to show your ability to offer helpful ideas, and suggest possible solutions to problems that may be raised by students at the Roundtable.  They also give you an opportunity to show that you have the willingness and ability to suggest constructive ideas on making things better for international students.

Referee and enrolment details

·         Please nominate a referee who knows you well enough to comment on your skills and attributes, for example a teacher, tutor, student advisor or employer. (Name; Position; Relationship to applicant; Phone number; Email). Please let them know that they may be contacted in regard to your application.

·         Is there anything else you would like to add to your application?

·         If I am selected to participate in the Roundtable I give permission for my name, photo and place of study to be published in announcements relating to the Roundtable.

·         I understand that my enrolment details will also be confirmed with my education provider. (Accept/ Not Accept)

·         Would you like to receive information on international student issues on an ongoing basis?

 

These questions give you the opportunity to show that another individual or organisation supports your participation in the Roundtable.  Please also note that to participate in the Roundtable you need to be a current student.  If you are a committee member of a postgraduate association, it is best to include the name and contact details for your president here (as suggested on the form, it is best to contact them first).  If you are unable to do this, you can contact CAPA at international@capa.edu.au to request details from us so you can complete this section.  We are happy to support your application, but so that we can confidently support your application please contact us first.
Good luck :-).

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