West Australia Premier acknowledges strong educational ties with Zambian community

StudyPerth hosted an Education Roundtable with senior academics from prominent West Australian (WA) universities and colleges plus key Zambian government delegates, educational figures and business people to identify areas of workforce development and skills that are needed in Zambia and explore how WA universities and colleges might play a role in contributing to this process.

The Roundtable successfully identified a number of areas for further investigation.

Following the Roundtable, a Friends of Perth Cocktail took place at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel on Thursday January 30, 2014, where Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett met Zambians from government, education, business and mining organisations.

“It was fantastic to hear first-hand from some of the students about their experience living and studying in Perth and how it helped them in their careers in Zambia,” Mr Barnett said.

“Many of the networks they developed in Perth have helped to drive international business exchange between the two countries and foster two-way growth to the betterment of both jurisdictions.”

Prof David Wood, Chair of the StudyPerth Board and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of Curtin University said: “Zambian students are an important part of the international student landscape in Perth and Western Australia. We are proud of our alumni who have not only thrived professionally upon returning home but who have also imparted cultural understanding of Zambian culture when in Australia, and Australian culture when at home.”

StudyPerth and the West Australian universities and colleges have been actively working in Zambia for the past 15 years and were in Zambia on their annual education mission to Lusaka where they worked with counsellors and principals of local schools and met with the parents of students, interested in obtaining quality information about study abroad. They also conducted a lively discussion on careers of the future and highlighted some of the life-changing research currently being conducted at Perth universities.

About StudyPerth

StudyPerth, formerly Perth Education City, is a not-for-profit industry and government supported organisation. It is WA’s premier body responsible for branding and promoting Perth and WA as a world-class study destination and helps facilitate links between educational providers and WA. StudyPerth works with governments, industry bodies and business and with most leading WA educational institutions, including the State’s five world-class universities, plus numerous pathway and vocational education providers, primary and secondary schools, and English language colleges – both from the public and private sector.