University of New South Wales
Kensington, Sydney
N S W 2052
AUSTRALIA
PHONE: 61-2-9385-2884
FAX: 61-2-9385-1949
www.unsw.edu.au

THE BOTTOM LINE

Last year the University of New South Wales conducted an unprecedented survey, asking Australian students what they thought of their international classmates. Most respondents found sharing a campus with foreigners to be an enriching and insightful experience - one that prompts them to question their own perspectives and cultural biases.

The impact of international students is hardly surprising. UNSW boasts 5,500 overseas scholars - more than anywhere else in the world. Recruitment from Asia remains a high priority despite the economic crisis, as you might expect from an institution where Asiaphile former prime minister Paul Keating is a visiting professor. In this the university's 50th anniversary year, Keating opened a $2.2 million center for international students, part of an extensive infrastructure development program. Through partnerships with corporate sponsors, the university is making itself ever more attractive to potential students.

The attitude survey is not the only research the university has conducted with an eye on Asia. Last year its School of Psychology began pioneering studies of eating disorders in China. Since the country began opening up to Western influences, Chinese girls have become exposed to new kinds of social pressures. Preliminary results suggest dieting and conditions such as anorexia and bulimia could be a growing concern. UNSW is collaborating with Peking University and Beijing Normal University on further research.

- By Ian Jarrett