Several Ball State students are learning firsthand why Australiais ranked the No. 5 hot spot for American students who want tostudy abroad.
Under the International Development Program (IDP) EducationAustralia, 33 undergraduates and one graduate student are spendingthe semester in one of the world's first-rate educational systemsand are traveling the continent to sites ranging from the GoldCoast to the Great Barrier Reef.
Mitch Leventhal, director of IDP Education Australia'sU.S./Canada office, said studying abroad in Australia issignificantly influencing each student's educational and culturaldevelopment.
"While in Australia, students are exposed to experiences thatoffer new insights into international politics and globaleconomics," Leventhal said. "My hope is that when students returnhome, they will never view the world in quite the same way."
Jennifer Nielsen of the IDP Education Australia office saidAustralia beat Mexico to become the fifth most popular overseasdestination and is surpassed only by the United Kingdom, Spain,Italy and France.
The continent has become popular in recent years because ofseveral favorable qualities such as its warm weather, strongeducational system and good monetary exchange rate that makes theAmerican dollar worth $1.26 in Australian currency, said ArronRobinson of CarryOn Communication Inc., which represents IDPEducation Australia.
���"(These) become very important factorswhen considering to study abroad," Robinson said.
���He said IDP, a nonprofit organizationowned by 38 out of Australia's 39 universities, has been bringingtogether international students and Australian education for morethan 30 years and has more than 90 offices in 50 countries. Tostudy in Australia, the Ball State students had to apply to theAustralia Centre program, a part of Ball State's Office ofInternational Programs.
Through IDP, which publishes Study DownUnder magazine, thestudents received information on each Australian university as theybegan to select the programs of study they wanted to pursue duringtheir semester overseas, Robinson said.
The Ball State students, who represent a variety of majors, aretaking up to 12 credit hours in Australia this semester. Inaddition to taking classes related to their departmental majors,they have the opportunity to study subjects ranging from aboriginalstudies, marine studies in the Great Barrier Reef and Australianhistory, Leventhal said.
He said students also enjoy touring the continent, oftenvisiting popular destinations such as the island of Tasmania, AyersRock and Sydney Harbor, where the famous Sydney Opera House islocated.
Junior Christopher Lents said his visit to Australia thissemester has been his first time studying abroad and has been thebest experience of his life. Beyond traveling the continent, Lentsspends much of his free time at a local pub and a nearby beach inLennox, where he and the other Ball State students reside.
In addition to having fun, however, he appreciates the educationhe is gaining overseas as he pursues his degree in LandscapeArchitecture. He doesn't regret his decision to study in Australiathis semester, he said.
"Before I came, I didn't really know much about its history orculture, beyond the stereotypical images of kangaroos and theCrocodile Hunter," Lents said. "I think that more than anything,I've learned to appreciate that there's more to the world thanAmerica."
Sophomore Todd Hageman, an elementary education major, saidbeing in Australia this semester has marked his first time everleaving the United States. Because he is enjoying his experienceoverseas, he encourages students who have never studied abroad totake advantage of future opportunities to do so throughout theircollege careers.
"You learn a lot more about a place when you're there for a fewmonths as opposed to a quick two-week vacation," Hageman said."It's nice to see how the rest of the world thinks and to see adifferent lifestyle."
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