PORT Macquarie and Charles Sturt University enjoyed an international audience last week.
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Ten international student recruitment agents toured CSU Port Macquarie Campus, attended academic sessions and visited tourist attractions ahead of the university's first international student intake in 2017.
The mix of overseas-based agents and onshore-based agents recruit students from India, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, Singapore, China, South Korea and Nigeria.
CSU Port Macquarie head of campus Professor Heather Cavanagh said firsthand experience meant the international agents could describe Port Macquarie, its beautiful environment and clean living to potential students.
"We want to have a very active and engaged international student body," Professor Cavanagh said.
It is hoped to have 20 international students at the campus next year.
That number will grow over time.
CSU marketing and student recruitment manager Delphine Swat said first of all, international students came for the courses and quality teaching. She said they wanted an Australian experience.
Many of the students want to work part-time and volunteer opportunities are important too.
IDP Education's Arjun Singh described Port Macquarie as a wonderful place.
Mr Singh said Indian students would find Port Macquarie attractive with the new CSU campus and the cheaper cost of living than the capital cities.
"Looking at the overall picture, I think it's a place we would be able to promote to the Indian students," he said.
Mr Singh said being able to find part-time work would ease international students' financial burden.
CSU's reputation was also attractive, he said. Staff Solutions Australia education consultant Yuko Okamura said Port Macquarie was beautiful and offered a more relaxing lifestyle than Sydney or Melbourne.
Miss Okamura, who has studied at Wollongong and Sydney, discovered the importance of a balanced lifestyle of study and a comfortable town.
"And it makes it easier to have just enough of things rather than having too much, so Port Macquarie is a perfect place for students who are looking for life embedded to the local," she said. "Students also have the opportunity to interact with local students at the CSU campus and absorb the lifestyle here."