Cultural Diversity Important for Growth
30 October 2004
The week has been dominated by news of the draft South East
Queensland Regional Plan which provides a necessary framework for
managing impending population growth. It focuses on physical
demarcations between developable and non-developable land
areas.
Another event hosted by the Premier attracted much less
publicity but from a human point of view, was probably just as
important for many people, and for the future of South East
Queensland.
The Premier and the Vice-Chancellors of Queensland universities
met together in a ceremony in Brisbane to sign an 'Affirmation of
Diversity' which committed us to foster a respect for cultural
diversity, discrimination-free education, enhancing culturally
sensitive academic excellence and to work cooperatively with the
State Government to achieve these objectives.
The vice-chancellors spoke to an audience of around eighty
people about the importance of cultural diversity for their own
universities and there was an impressive range of perspectives.
At the heart of this initiative is the knowledge that cultural
diversity will accompany the growth of the South East Queensland
region. It is already happening, as Queensland, its education
system and its businesses become more visible and respected
internationally.
Already, there are over 35,000 international students from 140
countries studying in Queensland's universities.
Around 2000 international students per year are currently
attending USC for various kinds of courses, and the number is
likely to double in the next five or six years. All this has
happened within the last four years or so, since we concertedly
began to market the University overseas.
This kind of growth has benefits and challenges. There are
obvious benefits culturally and economically for the University and
its region - overseas students spend more than domestic students,
but we also become more aware of other cultures. It is vitally
important that the Sunshine Coast community supports and makes
students from other cultures feel welcome.
Many people from around the world are already part of the
Australian workforce and are Australian citizens, like me.
As the Premier said, a more diverse workforce culturally,
actually has the potential to improve an organisation's business
performance by harnessing a broader and richer pool of knowledge,
skills and experiences from different cultures.
It is undoubtedly one of Australia's great strengths that it has
been able to develop its nationhood and international reputation by
building on the efforts of peoples from different nations around
the world.
So for me, just as the South East Regional Plan has this week
been so important, so too has been the commitment to cultural
diversity. To be able to live in harmony with one another, learn
from each other, respect each other, are the hallmarks of a
civilised society and both in the University and the region we need
to continue to work on making multiculturalism a success.
Through courses, research and a program of encouraging students
to experience other overseas universities and cultures, we are
firmly of the belief that students, the University and the region
will benefit.
Professor Paul Thomas is Vice-Chancellor of University of
the Sunshine Coast