Team to help students integrate in Australia

An overseas study consulting agency in China will send a team on an "exploratory trip" to Australia to collect information for Chinese students who would like to choose the nation as an overseas study destination.

Vision Overseas, which is part of the private Chinese educational company New Oriental Education and Technology Group, will start the trip on March 20.

Zhou Chenggang, president of Vision Overseas and head of the team, said they will travel to nine cities in Australia, visiting 20-plus schools, including elementary schools, middle schools, vocational schools and universities.

"How to integrate themselves into the local community has long been a problem for many Chinese who are studying, working and living in Australia," said Zhou, who had studied and worked in the country in 1990s.

Information on culture, education, employment and immigration will also be gathered during the trip, said Zhou.

Recent statistics from the Australian government showed that the numbers of Australian visas issued to international students rose 12.6 percent in the 2013-14 financial year. China remains a major source with its students taking up 20.7 percent of all international students in Australia.