New EU-Australia Review: Education Leads …
- August 21st, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
The European Union in a fresh update on relations with Australia says new emphasis is being put on growing cooperation and exchanges in education.
INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION
It says:
In 2010, over 36,000 students from the EU’s 27 Member States came to Australia to study.
Meanwhile, around 5,000 Australian students are studying in Europe, the main countries being the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
The European Commission and Australia are working towards increasing student mobility between the two regions through the flagship Erasmus Mundus project and a series of bilateral exchange programs.
NEW AGREEMENT UNDER DISCUSSION
Australia’s bilateral relationship with the European Union is now set in the context of the 2008 European Union – Australia Partnership Framework.
During her visit to Brussels in October 2010 for Australia’s inaugural attendance at the Asia-Europe Meeting, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard proposed to elevate the bilateral relationship by negotiating a treaty-level framework agreement.
This new agreement is currently under discussion.
The EU is Australia’s second largest trading partner, after China, with total trade worth $A78 billion, and continues to be Australia’s largest economic partner.
In the areas of foreign and security policy, environment, education, and science and technology, Australia and the EU share commonalities.
Reference
European Union Delegation to Australia, Canberra, Newsletter 316: EU Australia relations: Update, 12.8.11. www.delaus.ec.europa.eu, (21.8.11).