News Rele

ase 44/68

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION CANBERRA A.C.T.

_ GO EMBARGO

For release after 5.00 p.m. Sunday 22 September 1968

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION

A group of 120 undergraduates from British universities,

which has been visiting Australia since July 10 will leave for

home on September 26 by charter aircraft.

The undergraduates are from 23 British universities.

They have been working and touring Australia during Britain's

long summer vacation and are scheduled to leave Sydney at 1.00 p.m.

on September 26 and Perth at 4.30 p.m. on the same day.

The students have spent about eight weeks working in a

field allied to their studies and are now spending the remainder of

their visit touring the country. Concessions granted by Australian

airlines and travel companies are enabling them to journey widely.

Industry and commerce in Australia have co—operated to

help provide the students with an insight and understanding of the Australian way of life, growth problems and development potential.

Many of the students say they have been impressed by

the opportunities for the future Australia presents. James

Stevenson, of St. Thomas's Hospital Medical School in London, has

been engaged in kidney research at Queensland University. He says he would like to return to work in Australia permanently.

Several others, including Keith Woods, 21, of East Anglia University, are considering migrating to Australia.

Woods, who worked as a temporary computer assistant at the Weapons Research Establishment in South Australia, has said 'Young people seem to have boundless opportunities to get ahead. I will definitely consider returning here when I have completed my Ph... D.

Liverpool University student Janet Billinge is even more positive about her future life and has already decided to migrate to Australia when she graduates.

/2....

2.

She said there was more room for initiative in

Australia. 'People who work hard seem to achieve more in this

country. The standard of life is higher'.

Janet expects to graduate in two years and plans to

seek a position at the Weapons Research Establishment in South

Australia.

The students' visit was organised by committees in

London and Australia. The London committee was chaired by the

former British High Commissioner to Australia, Lord Carrington,

and comprised representatives of the English-Speaking Union of the

Commonwealth,.Brttish industry and commerce and the Chief Migration Officer, London.

The Australian committee was made up of representatives of the English—Speaking Union, the Australian Vice--Chancellors'

Comma.ttee, the National Union of Australian University Students, and the Departments of Education and Science, Labour and National Service and Immigration.

Department of . Immigration, CANBERRA. A.C.T.

22 September 1968

