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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-02 Daily Xml
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International Students

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question about the recent trade delegation to China.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: International education is South Australia's largest service sector export and the second biggest overall export earner and it accounts for more than 6,500 local jobs. In fact, China remains the most important country for South Australia in terms of student numbers. International students have become an integral part of South Australia's cultural, social and economic fabric. Can the minister advise the chamber of the outcomes for higher education, training and science from the recent South Australian trade delegation to China?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for his question. South Australia's sister state relationship with Shandong is almost 30 years old—29 years old to be exact. It offers us a wonderful opportunity for exchanges and collaborations. The 2015 Shandong-South Australia cooperation and development forum has resulted in new depths of partnerships between the two regions. In fact, in just a week, 21 memorandums of understanding were signed, which will result in new trade, investment and research and other development activity between our regions, generating new jobs and wealth here in South Australia.

Over the past week, I met with key government and business groups to promote South Australia as a safe, friendly state, with world-class higher education institutions. I was able to meet with the Deputy Director-General of the Shandong Education Department, Mr Zhang, and other officials to explore further opportunities for stronger ties in education, training and research between the two regions.

There were some great education outcomes achieved during the trip: UniSA signed multiple memorandums of understanding, which include an MOU with Shandong University, to establish the China Australia Joint Innovation Centre for Cell Therapy; an MOU with Shandong University over the joint collaborative degree program in pharmaceutical science; an MOU with Shandong University, Tourism SA and Shandong Tourism Administration Commission to establish China Australia Centre for Tourism, Events and Cultural Management; an MOU on cultural exchange with the Adelaide Festival Centre, Shandong Provincial Department of Culture; and an MOU on nursing research and education collaboration with Shandong University School of Nursing.

TAFE SA signed a significant MOU with the Qingdao No. 6 High School, the city's top design school, to collaborate on courses providing pathways to university through TAFE SA creative industry-related programs, such as graphic design, interior design, fashion and landscape. No. 6 high school is the top art-focused public high school in Qingdao.

Private training provider, Hessel Group, signed an MOU with a leading childcare provider, PKU College, in Beijing, to deliver Australian-style training and staff development to teachers and principals working in preschools. Together they will launch a joint program featuring online study together with a practicum study in Adelaide so the group will actually spend part of its time here in Adelaide as part of the course.

I was able to attend the announcement of the winner of the StudyAdelaide Amazing Ambassador Recruitment Campaign, an amazing young woman, Ms Wang Dan from Qingdao. Wang will travel to South Australia in July to tour the state and undertake a four-week English course and visit South Australia's universities as well as tourism spots. Wang will share her experience here in Adelaide through social media showcasing the city to prospective Chinese students. She is truly an amazing young lady and incredibly articulate, and I think she will do a wonderful job at promoting the wonderful education experiences here in Adelaide.

International students are extremely important, and I had an opportunity to attend a reception and meet around 30 of the UniSA alumni in Beijing and to hear about their experiences and how their South Australian education has helped prepare them as leaders of business and industry. What better way to promote education than to share positive experiences of how South Australian university education has supported these people to succeed in their chosen fields. Furthermore, new relationships with education agents were also formed in Jinan and strengthened in Qingdao, supported by those institutions travelling with the delegation, which will assist in attracting international students to Adelaide.

Another outcome of the visit was a heads of agreement signing between five innovative South Australian high-tech companies here that will enable each company to gain a presence in China through the use of SinoSA House platform in the high-tech zone in Qingdao. SinoSA is a joint initiative between our government and Shandong officials and will assist local companies to establish subsidiaries in China and to reach into those markets. South Australia is an entrepreneurial state and we are obviously focused on international engagement and developing crucial links with emerging and expanding international markets.

It was an extremely busy and productive trip and I certainly look forward to continuing that work with the Shandong province and to welcome their delegation here to South Australia in September.

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