| Professional Standards and Ethics |
 Importance of this section
Legislation Protecting Students
Professional Development and Standards
Representing Host Universities
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Importance of this section
Professional standards and ethics are important in all aspects of life - these are even more important when working in education. The AEC understands the importance of its work in supporting North American students to go to study in Australia and New Zealand.
How the AEC conducts itself in terms of professionalism and ethics is listed here |
Legislation Protecting Students - How the Australian and New Zealand Government legislation protects International Students
By placing a link to relevant Government's legislation, the AEC makes students aware that the Australian and New Zealand Governments ensure through legislative processes that the interests of international students are protected when studying in their countries. National groups representing universities such as the Australian Vice Chancellors Committee (AVCC) also have had relevant Code established for universities to conform to certain standards of service to international students. The Legislation and Code, ensures that universities and their partner agencies (such as the AEC and other programs operating on behalf of the many universities) conform to ethical business practices, meet qualitative standards and protect student fees.
To ensure that the various legislative processes are understood by students, parents and/or advisors, the AEC makes the following information available for reading.
AUSTRALIA:
Information about the ESOS Act can be found here. Information about the Provision of Education to International Students - Code of Practice and Guidelines for Australian Universities (AVCC) is listed here. Information about the National Code 2007 is listed here.
NEW ZEALAND
Information about the Code and Pastoral Care of International Students is listed here. |
Professional Development and Standards
The AEC team understands international education and strives within the constraints of its budget, to participate wherever possible in select education conferences, study abroad fairs and generally keep up to date with international education activities.
For example, since 1948, NAFSA: Association of International Educators in the USA has promoted the exchange of students and scholars. NAFSA provides much support for the international education and study abroad field. The AEC recognizes the role NAFSA plays in `educating' those working in international education and specifically study abroad, and wherever possible AEC staff will attend NAFSA Conferences. Since 1997 the AEC Program has attended and exhibited at 9 NAFSA annual conferences and at many of NAFSA regional conferences. The AEC has also when possible supported NAFSA through participation at regional NAFSA fairs throughout North America and for several years provided a higher level of support to NAFSA through its Global Partners Program.
Wherever possible, the AEC will continue to support NAFSA (and other organizations) through participation in membership, purchasing books and materials, attending/exhibiting at conferences and generally learning from the many educational opportunities available to be good at what we do in the field of study abroad.
It is important to also note that in assisting students to get to Australia and New Zealand, the AEC draws on the support of the experienced staff at all Host universities. These Host University staff are integral to the work of the AEC
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Representing Host Universities
When the AEC accepts an application for admission from a prospective student, it agrees to represent that Host university in a manner that maintains academic integrity - therefore, the AEC will provide unbiased advice to students; support students to consider their various options for Australia and New Zealand and allow students to make choices based on their specific needs and budgets. It is important to process students to universities based on their specific needs and sometimes even refer them to another program or universities who are not represented by the AEC. We do this because we view study abroad as more than filling program seats.
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