Meeting the Needs of Overseas Students: Exporting Quality Vocational Education and Training.

A study was conducted to identify the extent to which the needs of overseas students enrolled in the Queensland, Australia, TAFE (Technical and Further Education) system are being met and to identify ways in which student support services may be improved. A multiple case study methodology was used and data were collected using the following methods: review of the literature; discussions with college administrators, student counselors, and personnel in the International Programs Branch; and a student questionnaire returned by 256 students, for a 73 percent response rate. The variables most associated with overseas students' satisfaction with TAFE were their competency in English and motivation to succeed. Eighty percent of student respondents reported that they would recommend their TAFE college and their course of study to their friends. In addition, 60-70 percent of the students were satisfied with the services they received. Among areas identified as needing improvement were the provision of course information, help in obtaining visas, reception at the airport, accommodations, tutoring, English language support, library facilities, orientation, help with study skills, and social activities. (CML) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** MEETING THE NEEDS OF OVERSEAS STUDENTS: EXPORTING QUALITY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING K. K. Navaratnam Peter Mountney Operational Performance Dept. of Employment, Vocational Education, Training and Industrial Relations PMB 3, South Brisbane, Qld 4101 Paper presented at a conference on Quality in International Education, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia February 6-8, 1992 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement E CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating d. k CI Minor changes have been made to mprove reproduction Quality Points of view or opinionsstated in this docu. men! do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 MEETING THE NEEDS OF OVERSEAS STUDENTS: EXPORTING QUALITY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING Perspective of the study Australia's geographical proximity and the Commonwealth Government's policy on overseas students (Department of Employment, Education and Training, 1984) provide an excellent opportunity to export vocational education and training to customers in Asia and in the South Pacific. Ac 'ording to the latest information obtained from the International Students Branch, Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET), overseas students from about 75 countries, including some 95% from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, were enrolled in a wide range of award courses and in English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) in Australian technical and further education (TAFE) colleges. Table 1 shows current data on the enrolment of full-fee paying overseas students by states and level of their study. The Industry Commission (1991) has stated "TAFE colleges are making more efforts to attract overseas students, and the revenue they generate is increasingly seen as important against a background of government funding constraints and continuing high demand from domestic students' (p.149). However, in order to sustain the demand, TAFE authorities must ensure that quality vocational education and training is made available. Currently all Australian States and Territories are involved in the provision of programs for full-fee paying students and therefore, a study such as this has Australia-wide significance. Table 1: Enrolments of full-fee paying overseas students and the level of course at June 1991 Level of Course State H.ED Other Post Secondary ELICOS Total ACT 708 165 115 195 1183 NSW 4601 4884 1840 5751 17076 NT 49 8 35 2 94 QLD 2366 443 908 1181 4898 SA 968 376 501 145 1990 TAS 486 15 126 27 654 VIC 6896 2596 2884 2717 15093 WA 4145 42