Fleur De Lis Issue 1 2022
International Student Programme Wishing our wonderful 2021 Year 12 International students the very best with their future Tertiary studies and acknowledging how hard it must be for them to not see their families for such a long time. All eight students have shown tremendous resilience and spirit. Some returned to their home countries of Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand or China, and others will remain in Australia to pursue further studies. Due to COVID-19, it has been a rollercoaster ride for our International Student Programme for the last two years. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel with new students studying at Mercedes College from this year. Promoting our International Student Programme continues overseas to encourage international students to consider studying here from Semester 2, 2022. Announcements from the Australian and South Australian Governments indicate that this is a reasonable expectation, and we intend to be front of mind as an Australian study option. Many of the Education Agents we work with are keen to forward enrolment applications, as the demand for schooling in Australia continues to grow. Mercedes College has also put forward proposals to Austrade in Japan and Thailand with the aim of securing group enrolments from those countries in 2022 and 2023. During 2021, we had at least 26 international students who studied with us on campus or online – the majority being face to face. Our students ranged from Years 7 – 12 and were from eight different countries including Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. In 2022, we will have students from five countries, including Korea. This year we are honoured to have been nominated for the StudyTravel Secondary Schools Award, Australia and New Zealand – an award we were delighted to win last year, the first time an Australian school had done so. As our borders open, we look forward to welcoming more students from around the globe and again asserting Mercedes College as a market leader providing excellent outcomes as a values-centred International Baccalaureate Catholic College where we support every student to develop academically, socially and personally. Leeanne Moriarty Coordinator, International Marketing and Enrolments
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