Indian students’ safety in Australia still a concern: Poll

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) Indians see Australia as a good place to be educated, but there are lingering concerns regarding the issue of safety for Indian students, said an opinion poll whose results were released here Wednesday.

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr Wednesday welcomed a opinion poll which has confirmed public support in India for a strong and growing relationship with Australia, said a press release.

The survey by the Lowy Institute for International Policy and the Australia India Institute indicates Indians see Australia as good place to visit, live, work and study.

Australia is viewed as a country that is friendly to India, with attractive values, strong educational institutions and a sound political system.

“This report focuses on our shared values and interests which have seen Australia’s relationship with India develop into one of our key strategic and economic partnerships in the region,” Carr said.

“It is gratifying to see positive results of Indian feelings towards Australia, Indian judgments of the quality of Australia’s education system, and Indian views on working with Australia in our shared neighbourhood,” Carr said.

“Building on the ties between both our peoples is an integral component of that partnership – in our relations with India, and in the Australia in the Asian Centre White Paper as a whole.”

Carr acknowledged there were elements of the relationship where Australia needed to do more.

The report noted lingering concerns regarding the issue of safety for Indian students in Australia but showed the overall perception of Australia’s education standards was strong, with 75 percent of Indians seeing Australia as a good place to be educated.

Australia’s Indian community of more than 450,000 is one of fastest growing migrant community and India is Australia’s second-largest source of international students.

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