by Eddie Zhan
“Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?” began Mr. Noakes. On the 26th floor of the International Trade Building in Taipei, it was both my honour and pleasure to interview Robert Noakes, director of Australia Education International, as well as the ACIO (Australian Commerce and Industry Office). “It’s so wonderful to have an opportunity to talk with you,” I nervously began. “I have to admit that I’m not very experienced with interviews, however.” “Don’t worry!” replied Mr. Noakes reassuringly. “Let’s just talk and forget about the tape recorder; just pretend it’s not there.” Well, that’s exactly what happened, since after the interview I came back to NTU only to find that the tape was blank! I guess I don’t know much about interviews after all. I can, however, offer the following summary. My apologies to Mr. Noakes if I get something wrong! Since the U.S. is much more popular for Taiwanese students who want to earn advanced degrees, I began, why do you think that students should go to Australia instead? Well, he replied, there are certainly very good universities in the States, which are quite nice for students specializing in different fields. But there are also many well-established schools in Australia, which cover a wide range of courses and programs to suit students’ individual needs. They are all of excellent quality and are recognized worldwide. However, we are certainly not running a competition with schools in the U.K., Canada, or the U.S. Students can choose the best one for themselves. What I am sure of is that in Australia you can go to schools which are guaranteed of the best quality. If you are aware of your level, and choose the right school for your interests, then no doubt that it will provide you with great programs and facilities to help you progress. It’s true that many students want to go to Ivy League schools, but they’re also very selective. In Australia there are schools that are older than the Ivy League ones and also long, distinguished traditions. Or famous as Oxford is, they cannot claim to be equally good in all fields. So you should think about what you’re going to study, and choose the right school in that field. And if you go to Australia, the reward is one of assurance: we guarantee the best quality. What about the Australian educational system? I asked. Our system pretty much resembles the British one. Before you receive your senior secondary certificate of education, you have been educated in schools for 12 years. Then you can go to college, continuing to study for a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree. Since the system is very flexible, if you are good enough you can go directly to a Ph.D. program with only a bachelor’s degree. And our students are required to do research, give presentations, debate with others, and so on, instead of merely listening to lectures. What about living accommodation and student life? What is it like to live in Australia? There are many options for overseas students to arrange their accommodations, such as Homestay programs or university dormitories. Wetry to ensure that each student can have his or her own room, so that everyone can study without interference from others. Student life is both convenient and wonderful in Australia. You will see a lot of beautiful cities and scenery in this country. There are also many activities to take part in. In fact, the year 2000 is a very important moment for Australia, since the Olympic Games will be held in Sydney. What about the school calendar, scholarships, and other pertinent information? Our first term is usually from February or March until June; the next semester begins from July and ends in November or December. There are also scholarships for overseas students. The application forms can easily be obtained from our website, or you can come to our office and get more information. We have counselors on hand to help you with your questions. He proceeded to hand me a pile of forms and other material. I was overwhelmed, and suddenly wished I hadn’t flunked so many of my courses! “It’s my pleasure to meet you,” smiles Mr. Noakes. “Please feel free to come to our office if you have any questions; we’ll be happy to help.” Find out for yourself the wonderful possibilities of study in Australia. Visit them at: 333 Keelung Rd., Section 1, Suite 2602. Tel: 2757-6933 or check out their website at: http://www.aec.org.tw.
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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