Saudi Arabian students get a 'head's up' on student life

Kristyn Comino

12 June: A pilot event designed to help welcome students from Saudi Arabia and make them aware of their role within the university's community was held at the University last week.

The University's Pro Vice-Chancellor of education Carole Kayrooz said the university was proud of its growing association with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and delighted to be asked to host the first seminar of its kind to help benefit the KSA students.

"This pilot event was designed to ensure that KSA students are aware of their rights and responsibilities as a KSA student in Australia and assist them with the settling in process to ensure they succeed in their studies and in making the most of their international experience," Professor Kayrooz said.

Attended by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency, Hassan Talat Nazer, and cultural attache' Mohammed Albishri, the event was the first of its kind and will now be held in all Australian capital cities where KSA students live.

Australian Federal Police at the Saudi Arabian information seminar

Out of the University's 10,406 students 1559 of these are from overseas, with 43 of them from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia studying in a range of disciplines. The University has nine undergraduate KSA students, 22 post graduate, another 12 at the University of Canberra College and more studying at the University of Canberra English Language Institute.

Many of these students attended the seminar day in order to gain useful information to understand their role within the university and to use during their time in Australia more generally. They had sessions about accommodation at the University of Canberra Village, how to access the Health and Counselling Centre, information about the ACT Police and addresses from the Dean of Students Dr Michele Fleming among others.

Some of the advice given included when an ACT Police spokesperson gave a talk about the police force in Australia and told the KSA students how to handle themselves in an emergency and to contact police if they need to.

"When you call 000 there is unfortunately no translator service available. If you can't speak English very well you should learn in English, now, how to say your name and contact details and that it is an emergency situation, he said.