ISANA

Cherry Grimwade

Melbourne has one of the highest proportion of international students of any municipal area in the
world. The City of Melbourne recognises and values the presence and contribution that international
students make to the social and cultural life of Melbourne. In 2006, there were over 21,000
international students who were living and/or studying in the municipality and this figure has
continued to grow. The increasing presence of international students in the city has contributed to a
resurgence of city living and council works closely in partnership with tertiary institutes, peak bodies
and international students themselves to ensure that their health and well-being needs are met, and
they have opportunities to participate and engage in the social and cultural life of the city.
In 2008, the City of Melbourne held three forums with representatives from state and local
government, peak bodies, educational institutions and residents groups. These forums identified the
key issues for international students in the municipality in relation to social inclusion, safety and
accommodation, and provided an opportunity to discuss future partnership strategies and initiatives.
This presentation will outline the key findings from these forums. Social isolation and difficulties
integrating into Australian life are two key issues that are commonly identified by international
students and key stakeholder groups. The City of Melbourne Welcome to International Students held
in April 2008 will be highlighted as an example of how council has attempted to address this issue in
collaboration with those involved in international education. A short film about the event will be
screened as part of the presentation.

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