Record international student numbers at Victoria

A record number of international students have enrolled at Victoria University this year.

481 new international students enrolled at Victoria in February 2001, an increase of 88% on the 255 enrolled in February 2000 and more than double the 175 enrolled in February 1999. Undergraduate students comprise 77% (372) of the new students.

Total international student numbers at Victoria University are now 824. The most significant numbers come from Malaysia, China, Germany/Sweden, the USA and Indonesia, with these countries providing 72% of the new intake in 2001.

Commerce courses were the most popular programmes of study attracting 53% of international enrolments with accounting, information systems and marketing attracting strong numbers. There were also increases in science especially in computer science and in architecture and design. All faculties experienced a growth in absolute numbers of international students in February 2001.

Twinning students from Malaysian partner colleges contributed 92 new students in February 2001 up from 70 the previous year. Student numbers from study abroad, scholarships and exchange programmes all increased in 2001.

The number of postgraduate international students has also increased, from a base of 30 in February 2000 to 109 in February 2001. All faculties showed solid growth in postgraduate numbers, with Commerce (10 students in Feb 2000 and 45 in Feb 2001) and Humanities (10 and 36) showing the largest increase.

International Centre Manager, Tim Fowler says applications are flowing in for July 2001 enrolment and the university is predicting a strong increase on last year's July intake.

© Scoop Media