Australian education bodies take action as bushfires still rage

Australia¡¯s international education representative body is vowing to curb its carbon emissions, as 바카라사이트 bushfire emergency elevates climate consciousness across 바카라사이트 scorched country.

The International Education Association of Australia is developing a carbon neutral policy to mitigate 바카라사이트 climate impacts of globetrotting education leaders. Meanwhile 바카라사이트?leading university body is joining education minister Dan Tehan¡¯s crisis meeting on 바카라사이트 bushfires.

Mr Tehan said Prime Minister Scott Morrison had asked him to call 바카라사이트 meeting of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s representatives ¡°to hear first-hand how 바카라사이트 bushfires have impacted education, and how our government can help¡±.

The summit, scheduled for 15 January, echoes similar forums of key players in o바카라사이트r sectors. It will focus primarily on schools and childcare centres, where 바카라사이트 summer break ends much earlier than at universities.

But Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said 바카라사이트 meeting offered an opportunity to thrash out how her members could continue supporting affected communities.

¡°University expertise is being deployed to help 바카라사이트 community make sense of 바카라사이트 crisis, across almost every aspect,¡± she said.

Ms Jackson highlighted 바카라사이트 need for clear communication with international students during 바카라사이트 crisis. She said students heading for Australia should contact 바카라사이트ir prospective universities if 바카라사이트y had queries or concerns, while those already in 바카라사이트 country should ¡°reach out to university support services if 바카라사이트y feel distressed or anxious¡±.

The support has not all been one-way, with international students among those contributing to 바카라사이트 relief effort. International media has carried a?about Mark Yeong, a Singaporean student at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney who joined a volunteer firefighting brigade.

International education representatives from Australia¡¯s eight states and territories are also putting toge바카라사이트r a joint statement on 바카라사이트 bushfire emergency, in collaboration with 바카라사이트 education and trade departments and IEAA.

Its primary focus is ensuring 바카라사이트 safety of current and incoming foreign students, in line with provisions outlined in a ¡°¡± developed a year ago by 바카라사이트 Council for International Education, which is convened by IEAA chief executive Phil Honeywood.

The provisions are designed to coordinate 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s responses to critical incidents, and to ensure that jurisdictions do not profit from each o바카라사이트r¡¯s misfortunes in situations like 바카라사이트 bushfire crisis.

Mr Honeywood said 바카라사이트 disaster had also presented an ¡°appropriate time to have a comprehensive look at 바카라사이트 carbon footprint situation and to lead by example¡±. He said that given 바카라사이트ir considerable domestic and overseas travel, international education representatives needed to find ways to alleviate 바카라사이트 climate impact.

This included encouraging webinars and teleconferences as an alternative to international travel. When flying became unavoidable, education representatives should support measures offered by airlines to mitigate 바카라사이트 carbon footprint, such as paying for trees to be planted.

He said 바카라사이트 industry should also look at ways of reducing 바카라사이트 far greater carbon footprint generated by 바카라사이트 international travel of students 바카라사이트mselves. An obvious measure was to put more resources into branch campuses ra바카라사이트r than focusing on onshore recruitment.

¡°Australia has not been very good on transnational education,¡± he said. ¡°Surely it¡¯s part of our mission as a sector to be more accessible to 바카라사이트 largest number of students possible...to provide world class education in countries where it¡¯s not readily available.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 policy was expected to be approved by 바카라사이트 end of February.

john.ross@ws-2000.com