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Victoria releases interactive education tool

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  • Published Jun 30, 2015 5:35 pm KST
  • Updated Jun 30, 2015 5:35 pm KST

Patrick Stringer, Victoria’s commissioner to Korea / Photo by John Redmond

By John Redmond

The state government of Victoria, Australia, announced the release of Study Melbourne’s MyStory ― an interactive tool for prospective international students and parents to virtually experience life in Victoria ― on Monday.

MyStory allows users to explore education campuses along with modes of transport, accommodation options and Victoria’s regional attractions, and build a personalized video to preview their student life based on education and lifestyle aspirations.

“MyStory (www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au) is designed to support students and parents by showcasing Victoria as a premiere destination for tertiary and other higher education offerings, such as vocational education and training (VET) and English language intensive courses for overseas students (ELICOS), while providing first-hand experience and advice about studying and living in Victoria,” the state authorities said in a press release.

Currently, there are 10 internationally recognized universities, and 18 public vocational and training institutions for overseas students in Victoria.

Two Melbourne universities are also in the world’s top 100 universities, according to QS rankings, and five of the top 20 Australian universities are located in Melbourne. Of these, The University of Melbourne and Monash University are world-class institutions that have turned out Nobel Prize winners.

Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria, has a pleasant and safe living environment and has been named as the world’s most livable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit for four consecutive years. In addition, Melbourne was ranked the top city in Australia and second best in the world for international students by QS Best Student Cities 2015, and is widely recognized as a centre of international study.

Victoria’s commissioner to Korea, Patrick Stringer, said, “As Melbourne offers world-class educational institutions, a variety of study opportunities and a very dynamic and livable urban environment, it is considered the best city for studying abroad. Among international students studying in Australia, 30 percent of them choose Melbourne as their destination and currently students from about 165 countries live in Melbourne.”

He added, “Especially, international education is Victoria’s largest single export industry. The state government and many education stakeholders in Victoria actively support the student community and corporate internship opportunities for foreign students to keep improving the international student experience.”

Earlier in 2015, the Victorian government introduced a new public transport ticket scheme for international students. It allows eligible students studying at metropolitan and regional institutions to save 50 percent on an annual full-fare ticket.

Meanwhile, there were over 4,300 Korean students attending education programs in Victoria as of 2014, two-thirds of whom were enrolled in higher education and vocational education and training.