Promoting the rights of international students

By Geoff Maslen. For the first time, foreign students in Australia have their own ‘bill of rights’. This follows the release by the Australian Human Rights Commission of a set of principles to promote and protect the rights of international students, which it says have too often been ignored by individuals and organisations.
Outlining the principles at an international conference in Melbourne last week, Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Helen Szoke said the aim was to create discussion and awareness of student rights “where sometimes it does not exist”.
“This awareness is essential, whether in terms of the obligations of organisations working with international students, or of the support students should expect during their time here,” Szoke said.
“As we discovered during the course of our consultations [in developing the principles], the latter is particularly important, with many students not knowing where to seek help or what their entitlements might be.”
The principles are set out under four main headings, with summary translations in 10 other languages.