Why Int'l Education is Crucial for Australia's Higher Education Sector

One is written by Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement and Entrepreneurship), The University of Queensland. She has given a number of reasons why international engagement is crucial for Australia’s higher education sector. She is not happy with the negative news and commentaries regarding the dependency of international students in the Australian education sector. Higher education of Australia is not bringing only the money to the economy it is also forging a global partnership.

She claims the following in her article; which we agree with her too.

Australian Higher Education is best in the world that is why students from all over the world are attracted to study there. 7 Universities ranked in the top 100. Because of the contribution of education and choices of international students, the reputation of the Australian education sector is high.

It contributes $37.6 billion to the Australian economy last year. Australian institutions educated global leaders. Diversification is necessary and over-reliance on any one market is not good for any sector and this applies to the Australian education sector too.

More than 40000 students benefited from Australian scholarships since Colombo Plan started.  

Australian Universities and Government are investing for student exchange and international internships that will bring new experiences to Australian society.

Australian universities are forming global partnerships and help to solve global challenges. Professor Paul Young from The University of Queensland is collaborating with partners in Norway, the USA, and so on is an example of it.

Universities are trying to tackle the current situations and they are able too. She says, “International education is not just dollars and cents-it is about improving lives in every possible sense.”

The original story is at the following link;

https://asiasociety.org/australia/why-international-engagement-crucial-australias-higher-education-sector 

Impact of Covid-19 in International Education Sector

I am in the International Education business. So, I am keeping an eye on the impact of it in the education sector. Everyone is suffering and universities, colleges, and their students as well as staff are also hard hit by the job loss or pay cuts. All Australian Universities are suffering now and they are planning to cut their staff to reduce spending to sustain. Following news published which has given the details news about these difficult situations of Australian Universities.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/04/australian-universities-to-close-campuses-and-shed-thousands-of-jobs-as-revenue-plummets-due-to-covid-19-crisis

https://asiasociety.org/australia/why-international-engagement-crucial-australias-higher-education-sector

The UK also in great need to boost the international education business and trying to attract more international students to come out from this shortfall of the current Covid-19 pandemic and its LockDown. The following news will give more detailed information in this regard too.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-minister-sets-out-support-for-international-students?fbclid=IwAR2lF2GPkXjig9mRgMa_6YHsw4CKSda5ffNZRGYyb3J-ObtUv6BnnCpQWko

In addition to it, in order to be in the business, many colleges and universities are marketing through a series of the webinar, promotion and online classes.

I hope situations will come in normal soon. 

LOCKDOWN

LockDown is a situation you confined yourself inside your surroundings only. All the movements are restricted and no further activities are allowed.  Human is expected to remain at home or wherever they are at the time of its announcement. Vehicles are stopped. Institutions are closed. Borders are sealed. Restaurants are closed. Shops are forced to close down. Travels are banned. Restrictions imposed to move one place to another place. The only objective of LockDown is to avoid the risk of the Corona Virus which is spreading rapidly all over the world.

LockDown is a new word and this so much popular to each and every one. Even those, who do not understand simple English words, are able to speak those two words. Not only pronounce it, they understand its meaning too. This is because all the people on the planet are affected by Corona Virus and government of each nation decided to impose LockDown to mitigate the risk of spreading scary Covid-19 Corona Virus.

Due to this new disease, people are suffering and more than three hundred thousand (300000) died globally and more than 6500000 are infected at the time of this writing.  This disease is originated in Wuhan City Hubei Province of China in December 2019 and started to affect the people. In order to avoid and stop the risk of this disease, the Chinese Government announced Lock Down on that particular city for a few months. Then they rapidly tested people to found out whether they were infected or not. Other governments also imposed the same modality. This model is also advised by the Health Professional and expert including World Health Organization (WHO).

As the present world is connected to each other due to the available of the easy transport facilities and people are moving in place to another, this easy transport makes not only possible for people to travel, this also became the major problem to carry deadly viruses by the people and hence the spread of this virus is unprecedented all over the world.  

During this LockDown period, hospitals are open. Pharmacies are open. Doctors, nurses, other staff are working. Security forces are working. Despite the probability of infection of the Corona Virus, those people are working to treat the people. We are just staying at home safely. But those people are working and we really thanked and appreciate them. Besides hospitals and pharmacies, foods and grocery shops are open in the limited time every day such as 7-10 in the morning.

As the times of the LockDown are extending from one week to one month to 3 months, people started to suffer more because of other problems such as scarcity of food due to the shortfall of the available job and money. People are likely to die due to hunger than the danger of the Corona Virus. So, governments all over the world are trying to be flexible on LockDown. Modalities of the movements of the people are likely to come soon. Then the economic activities will come into movement and life will likely be normal soon. But, social distancing and other health measure issues are needed to maintain by the individual person.

Just Being Selfless-Author Unknown

An 18-year world student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education.

They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $ 2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.

The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $ 1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $ 400. They promised to honor the cheque at the soonest possible. “No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $ 1600, and told the two boys, “Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left.”

The boys were surprised and thanked him profusely.

It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being. Why should he help two people he did not even know? We all come across situations like these in our lives. And most of us only think, “If I help them, what would happen to me?” The truly great people think, “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?” They don’t do it expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do.

Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a great leader, but unfortunately, when the World War began, Poland was ravaged. There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help. The head there was a man called Herbert Hoover-who later went on to become the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food and grains to feed the starving Polish people.

A calamity was averted. Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said, “You should not be thanking me, Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students to go through college. I was one of them.”

The world is a wonderful place. What goes around, come around!

Previously published at The Himalayan Times on 21 Oct 2013

The Power in you -Author Unknown

There was a business executive who was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were chasing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in his hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is troubling you,” he said. After listening to the executive’s woes, the old man said, “ I believe I can help you.” He asked the man his name, wrote out a cheque, and pushed into his hand saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, you can pay me back at that time.”

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive saw in his hand a cheque for $500000, singed by John D Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

“I can erase my money worries in an instant!” he realized.

But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed cheque in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought. With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payments. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long, he had been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him. Suddenly, he realized that it was not the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

“I am so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D Rockefeller.” And she led the old man away by the arm.

The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long, he had been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him. Suddenly, he realized that it was not the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

Previously published at The Himalayan Times on 21 Oct 2013

Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good, you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Secrets of Life (Author: Unknown)

An eight-year-old boy approached an old man in front of a wishing well, looked up into his eyes, and asked, “I understand you are a very wise man. I would like to know the secret of life.”

The old man looked down at the youngster and replied, “I have thought a lot in my lifetime, and the secret can be summed up in four words.”

“The first is to think. Think about the values you wish to live your life by.”

“The second is to believe. Believe in yourself based on the thinking you have done about the values you are going to live your life by.”

“The third is a dream. Dream about the things that can be, based on your belief in yourself and the values you are  going to live by.”

“The last is a dare. Dare to make your dreams become your reality, based on your belief in yourself and your values.” And with that, Walter E Disney said to the little boy, “Think, Believe, Dream, and Dare.

Previously published at  The Himalayan Times on 21 May 2012.

Don’t be the Carpenter (Author: Unknown)

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer, a building contractor, of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

His employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter says yes, but it was easy to see that his heart was no longer in his work. He has lost his enthusiasm, had sorted to shoddy workmanship, and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect the new house, the contracted handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “My gift to you.”

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived with dignity.

Previously published at The Himalayan Times on 29 July 2013

A Poem

Changed View (Author: Unknown)

CHANGED VIEW (Author: Unknown)

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him.

Her boyfriend walked away in tears and later wrote a letter to her saying, “Just take care of my eyes dear.”

This is how the human brain changes when the status changes. Only a few remember what life was before and who have always been there, even in the most painful situations.

Life is a gift, today before you think of saying an unkind word; think of someone who can’t speak.

Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who is crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life, think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children, think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn’t’ clean or sweep, think of the people who are living on the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance.

And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of unemployed, the disabled, and those who wished they had your job.

But before you think of pointing your finger or condemning another, remember that not one of us is without sin and we all have to answer to one Maker.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and thank God you’re alive and still around.

Life is gift-live it, enjoy it, celebrate it, and fulfill it.

Note: Published at The Himalayan Times on 25^th June 2012

Being loved by the one you love (Author: Unknown)

Once upon a time, a very poor man lived with his wife. One day, his wife, who had very long hair, asked him to buy her a comb for her hair to grow well and to be well-groomed. The man felt very sorry and said no. He explained that he did not even have enough money to fix the strap of his watch he had just broken. She did not insist on her request. The man went to work and passed by a watch shop, sold his damaged watch at a low price, and went to buy a comb to his wife. He came home in the evening with the comb in his hand ready to give to his wife.

He was surprised when he saw his wife with a short haircut. She sold her hair and bought a new watchband. Tears flowed, not for the futility of their actions, but for the reciprocity for their love.

Moral of the story: To love is nothing, to be loved is something but to love and to be loved by the one you love, that is everything.

Published at The Himalayan Times (10 Feb 2014)

Be like ‘those’ big dreamers (Author: Unknown)

Be like ‘those’ big dreamers (Author: Unknown)

If you want to control your life, then control your attitude first. Your decision to be, have, and do something out of ordinary entails facing difficulties that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else.

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

The more you seek security, the less of it you have. But the more you seek opportunity, the more likely it is that you will achieve the security that you desire. Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘What’s in it for me?”

All successful people, men, and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.

Note: The Himalayan Times (1 September 2014)

Small Action is Greater than the Noblest Intention

Small Action is Greater than the Noblest Intention

There was once a person, who was walking on the sea beach. He saw another person walking far ahead of him. He was picking up something from the ground and throwing it into the water. The man quickly moved closer to that person and noticed that he was picking up starfish that had been washed onto the beach and was throwing them back into the water. Astonished, he asked, ‘why are you throwing these fish back into the water?’ The man answered with a smile, ‘Otherwise they will all die lying here on the beach.’ The man asked, ‘But there are thousands of these fish lying on this beach, do you think it will matter?’ The other person picked up a fish and throwing it back into the sea said, ‘It will matter to this one.’

Note: The moral of the story is that it does not matter how much you do or for how many, so long as you do something for someone who needs it. And that is what matters.

Taken from a book Heart, Mind over Matter by Virender Kapoor.

Don’t wait to be happy (Author: Unknown)

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree and smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.

Hearing this the man got angry and said, “Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?”

Fisherman asked, “What would I do by catching more fishes?”

Businessman replied, “You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.”

Fisherman questioned, “What would I do then?”

Businessman told, “You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.”

Fisherman asked, “What would I do then?” Businessman said, “You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.”

“What would I do then?” the fisherman asked.

Businessman told, “You could become a rich businessman like me”

“And then what would I do?” fisherman questioned.

Businessman told that he could enjoy his life peacefully. Meanwhile the fisherman snapped back, “What do you think I am doing right now?”

Moral: We don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy our life. We don’t even need to be richer, more powerful to enjoy life.

Published at The Himalayan Times (THT) 24 March 2014

Don’t Give Up! (Author: Unknown)

Don’t let today’s trouble bring

you down

or allow you to question your ability.

Don’t let life’s little obstacle keep you

from trying,

or become the reason for defeat.

Don’t let your fears keep you

from dreaming,

or from chasing your dream.

Don’t give up for any reason, believe

in yourself,

And within you’ll find strength.

Don’t let your envy destroy what

you have,

or develop hatred to others.

Don’t give up on compassion for others

or forgiveness which is the bliss.

Don’t let your selfishness tear down

innocence

or you will be the victim one day.

Don’t give up the power of curiosity

or you may have nothing to meant

for you.

Don’t let go of your hope even

in adversity

or there will not be any

happiness left.

Don’t give up on love

as love is the ultimate emotion that

can take any risk.

Note: Published at The Himalayan Times on 14^th August 2014

Where are you heading? Author: Luis Alejandro Sanchez Corrals

The captain of the boat lost his way in the middle of the storm. While trying to control the ship and maneuver to avoid sinking, he started feeling anguish and frustration. The waves became bigger; the noise of the water hitting the board, like a feather carried by the wind, almost lead him to despair. But he did not give up and tried harder every time the waves hit the boat. In his desperate attempts to stay strong and keep the boat steady, he was unable to hear one of his crew officers yelling at him.

“Captain, Captain!” kept yelling officer, while holding on to one of the deck’s bars to avoid falling off the boat. “Captain, Captain!” insisted the officer. This time while trying to approach him, a huge wave almost made the boat tip over and the officer fell and rolled on the deck till he luckily found another rail to hold on to. After several attempts, the officer finally was able to reach his fighting, drenched, and tired captain who had started to yell out his frustrations and thoughts to the raging waves.

“If I am a good hard working man, why does this happen to me? And I can’t get out of this one? I have been sailing the open ocean for years to fish the best catch and get support for my family. Why, why, why?” At that moment his crew officer was able to grab the captain’s shoulder and make him turn so that the captain could hear him. “Captain, Captain!” yelled again the officer.

The captain looked at him furiously for distracting him from his difficult task. “What do you need officer? Don’t you see I am trying to control the ship and find our way back?” complained to the captain. His officer kept holding onto the captain and pointed in the opposite direction, towards the stern. “Captain he replied. “The lighthouse is over there, on the other side. We are going in the wrong direction.”

Thought: In which direction will you decide to go during a storm in an open ocean?

Was published at The Himalayan Times on 3 Feb 2014

Let go of the ‘Branch’ Author: Unknown

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.

Months passed, and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons were flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.

The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to the members of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird still not moved from its perch.

Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, “Maybe I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem.” So he cried out to his court, “Go and get a farmer.”

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, “Bring me the doer of this miracle.” The court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, “How did you make the falcon fly?” The farmer said to the king, “It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting.”

Moral: We are all made to fly-to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But at times we sit on our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar, the comfortable, and the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling, and fulfilling. Let us learn to destroy the branch of fear and free ourselves to the glory of flight.

Note: Published at the Himalayan Times on 17 March 2014