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This paper explores existing evidence on indicators of risk to the mental health status of Chinese students studying in Australian universities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies published from January 1999 to January 2020 were considered. Findings indicated that Chinese students routinely report increased levels of fear, stress, anxiety, depression and social problems, as well as decreased levels of general well-being, while studying in Australia. Numerous factors may exacerbate the issues confronted by Chinese university students studying in Australia, including language barriers; social, academic and financial difficulties; challenges associated with the different education systems of the two countries; and their own underuse of available mental health services. Recommendations for further practice and research are presented based on these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the need for studies to be undertaken on Irish women who became 'female religious' in Roman Catholic religious communities and who taught in Australian schools up until 1922. The paper is structured in three parts. It opens by outlining the international context that gave rise to the existence of these personnel in Australia. The more specific background is then sketched out. A broad overview of the literature on the distinct group of teachers in Australia in question follows and the fact that the current research base on them is somewhat unwieldy and disjointed is highlighted. This contention in turn, it is argued, indicates the need for engagement in a major research programme which takes a macro perspective on Irish female religious as teachers in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely discussed during the past two years, little attention has been given to international students. This study aimed to systematically review all the empirical studies regarding international students' mental health amidst COVID-19. A search of the peer-reviewed papers was conducted using PsycINFO, Google Scholar, ProQuest Psychology, PubMed, Web of Science and ProQuest Public Health on 5 January 2022. Articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria created. Eighteen studies were finally included in this review. Findings showed that international students experienced various adverse psychological outcomes during COVID-19. Protective and risk factors that have been found to correlate with international students' mental health were reviewed. Four possible avenues for future research, based on the current literature are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the author discusses the traditional format of a selection of academic papers, the education policy in Australia and the paper on the admission of women to the National University of Ireland.

In this paper, we discuss ongoing challenges in defining and assessing generic competencies in Australian universities. The paper begins with a discussion of factors that led to, and later fuelled, the focus on generic competencies in Australian higher education. Broad constructs that have underpinned research and practice in the field are then discussed. We next consider obstacles that have been confronted in efforts to identify the particular competencies that are most important both within and across given discipline areas. The paper concludes with a consideration of the practical issues that emerge in designing tasks to assess generic competencies within specific contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During period 1975 through to 1987 the Commonwealth ventured into curriculum development, hitherto an activity for states and territories. Unlike the ACARA Curriculum of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments, there was nothing mandatory about the CDC's curriculum development activities. Here, the dominant influence was coordinative federalism. This paper advances a thesis that Kingdon's Agendas is a useful lens in examining the historical circumstances bringing this educational policy into being, principally because it requires an examination of the political circumstances of the time, in this case including the politics of the administration of the CDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper puts forward the view that engineering educators have a responsibility to prepare graduates for engineering work and careers. The current literature reveals gaps between the competencies required for engineering work and those developed in engineering education. Generic competencies feature in these competency gaps. Literature suggests that improving the development of generic competencies in engineering graduates has met with barriers. One identified problem is that a relatively low status is assigned to generic competencies in engineering education. This review focuses on competencies that are required by professional engineers across all engineering disciplines, in Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA. The literature suggests that engineering educators should focus on developing "generic engineering competencies" rather than separate generic competencies and engineering competencies. A method, developed at the University of Western Australia for identifying the generic engineering competencies required by engineers graduating in Australia, is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article builds on the foundations and evaluations laid recently by Symes and Gulson in their 2005 article, Crucifying Education: The rise and rise of new Christian schooling in Australia. It evaluates the warrant of Christian schooling within a liberal democracy and offers a rejoinder for defending the rights of Christian particularism within a secular educational system such as operates in Australia. In similar vein to Pike's (2004) challenge against the discrediting of Christian schooling in England, this article also questions the fundamental liberal tenet of individual autonomy as the supreme goal of education. The main thesis of this paper is that Christian schools are in fact a vital part of a diverse, tolerant and inclusive society in Australia. Moreover, any reflection of tolerance leads to other issues such as the nature of truth, values based education, belief and the warrant for one's belief, and the separation of secular and religious education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher mental health and wellbeing is neglected in policy relative to student mental health and wellbeing. Yet there are ongoing concerns around teachers' stress levels and their impact on students and teacher shortages. Through a desk-based literature review relevant literature, current reports and statistics were examined to ascertain definitions and understandings of wellbeing and mental health suitable for teachers. The study then examined the importance of teacher mental health and wellbeing, rates and causes of teacher stress and burnout and factors that could support enhancing teacher mental health and wellbeing. Mental health and wellbeing are both complex concepts to define, but the current state of teacher mental health and wellbeing in Australia is of concern. There are protective factors that can support teachers' mental health and wellbeing, especially whole school approaches that embed the mental health and wellbeing of students, staff and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During period 1919-39 through rather passive and uncontroversial means under the banner of cooperative federalism the Commonwealth instituted some major and long-lasting school educational policy. During this period it was generally acknowledged that the Commonwealth should eschew involvement in school education, yet, the politics of the time, with the additional imperatives of the dominant zeitgeist, drove Commonwealth involvement in school education through ministerial councils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stigmatisation of mental illness in Australian and other Western societies is now well documented. This article presents a description of the 'stigmatisation' problem associated with mental illness, and discusses the impact that this problem has had on the demand for Psychiatry as a career. The approach taken at UWA to address the 'recruitment crisis' through the use of innovative teaching strategies is then described. Preliminary evidence on the efficacy of the approach is also presented. These strategies may provide a model for other universities making effort to bolster the numbers of medical students who pursue careers in Psychiatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigmatisation among mental health professionals can have a significant impact on individuals who work in the area, and on recruitment of people into the mental health workforce. This study aimed to investigate the source, type and impact of positive and negative comments, attitudes and behaviours experienced by psychiatrists and psychiatric registrars. Thirty psychiatrists and registrars responded to a survey. Results indicated that negative experiences were reported at a significantly higher frequency compared with positive experiences. Other psychiatrists contributed positively to experiences regarding their profession in mental health. In contrast, doctors from other specialties and the media contributed negatively. Notwithstanding these negative experiences, there was high morale among respondents. This survey has shown that despite gains in addressing stigma towards mental illness within the community, stigma towards psychiatrists remains a significant issue. Psychiatry as a profession needs to address this in order to enable the discipline to overcome these damaging negative attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The period from the late 1970s to the late 1980s were transition years for most public (government) school systems in Australia. A reaction was developing against the neo-progressive and radical (neo-Marxist) innovations of the late 1960s and 1970s such as school-based curricula, activity methods, and "open education". By the early 1980s the emerging economic rationalist, neo-liberal ideas favoured devolution of administrative responsibilities to schools ("the entrepreneurial school"), central control of the curriculum, and an emphasis on vocational training. This change was facilitated by a new form of political control of the administration: ministers for education, premiers and prime ministers and their political advisers determined policy, no longer relying heavily the advice of educational professionals. A new senior executive level in Departments was staffed by politically-approved administrators. Neo-liberal education was enthusiastically adopted in New South Wales and at the Commonwealth level. Victoria soon joined in; Tasmania and Queensland lagged behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the process used by undergraduate medical schools in Australia to select students. A discussion on the main components used in the process of selecting medical students in the University of Western Australia (UWA) is given, the Tertiary Entrance Rank, the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT) and the selection interview. The process used at UWA to choose and rank the student applicants for medical course is discussed. A brief look at the selection process of medical schools in universities outside Australia is given.

Over the past sixty years, Australia has become a very active part of the global community, greatly widening its earlier, mostly British, connections. We have gained from this wider horizon and also contributed significantly to the world community, largely through our active cooperation in international agencies. We now face a major issue in Australian education, to deliver an effective education for life to all our people. Our international links make clear the nature of this problem and also show us that it is possible to have high quality education without sacrificing equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]