State and Nation win through Carnegie Mellon

I am pleased today to attend the signing of the agreement between South Australia and Carnegie Mellon University to establish a branch campus of Carnegie Mellon in Adelaide next year.

Carnegie Mellon will initially open two 'schools' in Adelaide, a branch of the prestigious H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management and a branch of the innovative Entertainment Technology Center (ETC).

The historic establishment of Australia's first foreign university is a critical step in further energising our national higher education system, maximising our overseas student market, underpinning our broader engagement with Asia and the United States - and supporting Adelaide as an education centre.

This project originated from discussions between myself, Premier Mike Rann and SA Economic Development Board Chairman Robert Champion de Crespigny. It has involved close co-operation between the Federal and State governments.

I am pleased to announce that the Federal Government will support enrolments at the University by allocating 20 annual scholarships through AusAID, our overseas development assistance agency. We have committed to these Australian Development Scholarships for the next four years at a cost of approximately $8 million. This will be of great benefit to nations in our region seeking to develop their high-level public policy, management and information technology skills.

I will also witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Carnegie Mellon, the South Australian Government and the China Training Centre for Senior Civil Servants, Ministry of Personnel, Beijing. South Australia and the Ministry of Personnel will provide shared scholarships to selected future leaders from the Chinese civil service to undertake the Master of Science in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon, Adelaide. In all, 20 scholarships will be offered commencing in 2006. The scholarships will be funded 50:50 between the South Australian and Chinese governments.

My colleague the Federal Education Minister, the Hon Brendan Nelson MP, has introduced two Amendment Bills that are necessary for quality foreign universities such as Carnegie Mellon University to operate in Australia effectively. The amendments to the Educational Services for Overseas Students Act2000 (ESOS) and the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) are expected to pass the Senate soon after being passed in the House of Representatives with bi-partisan support on 13 October 2005. These legislative changes will mean that Carnegie Mellon will be able to market to and enrol overseas students and eligible Australian students attending Carnegie Mellon in Adelaide will be able to access FEE-HELP.

Media inquiries : Ministerial 02 6277 7500, DFAT Media Liaison 02 6261 1555