Double degree courses gain traction

Geetu Vaid

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is one of the top Australian universities offering a wide spectrum of courses to international students. Amit Dasgupta, India Country Director of the university shared information about UNSW’s courses. Excerpts of an interaction with J&C:

Which are the top courses offered by UNSW?

We have a number of courses, but those popular amongst Indian students include Engineering, IT, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cyber Security, big Data Analytics, Politics Philosophy and Economics, etc. There is also interest in Built Environment because of its increased applications in areas such as smart cities, sustainable housing, smart transport, etc. These technical fields are in high demand. Students also show interest in Law (because of the agreement between the Bar Council of India and Australia), along with Media and Communication.

The university also offers double degree courses.Can you give details about these?

UNSW offers a double degree providing unique choice wherein one can study two totally different subjects simultaneously. For example a student of medicine or enhgineering can take a course in music simultaneously, or any other similar interesting combination. The whole idea behind the double degree is that great education fosters curiosity and education allows you to follow your passion.

These are basically available at the undergraduate level, but a post graduate student can also opt for these combinations. We encourage undergraduates for double degree courses. Students can also take up what might appear as odd combinations. At our school of Art and Design, one of the most popular courses is Virtual Reality and the use of Artificial Intelligence.

Earlier, people were not certain of what job to pursue, but it’s different now as multiple job opportunities have opened. The education system needs to upgrade accordingly and adapt to this century. Our courses are crafted in-line with evolving trends. For example, if someone’s area of study is focused on sustainability, it’s not how you can manage waste, but more about what can be done with it.

What is the criteria UNSW is looking for while selecting students?

In India many institutions have qualifying percentage of 96 or 97 per cent. This does not mean that those who receive less percentage are not bright students. To study at UNSW you simply do not need such high percentages as the stress is on assessing the talent and passion of a candidate rather than the score.

What is the cost factor involved in studying in Australia?

Studying abroad is definitely more expensive than in India. However, if Australian and US currency is compared, one Australian dollar is close to Rs50, while one US dollar is Rs73, making it significantly cheaper to study in Australia at a top notch university which is internationally ranked.

Does UNSW look for work experience/extracurricular in application during the admission process?

Work experience is required only at the Australian Graduate School of Management and not for other programmes.

What is UNSW’s employment ratio?

Generally institutions host career counselling sessions during the last month of a programme. But UNSW is different as we train students for employment right from Day 1. We groom the student after mapping them and prepare them for their ideal career path. The grooming includes different aspects ranging from basics like how to communicate engagingly and effectively in an interview to how to write a CV. UNSW courses also have mandatory internships that guide students to zero in on future employers. This has given the courses high employability quotient. Students can now see a direct return of investment.

Do you have tie ups with Indian universities?

We are working with a number of Indian universities at two levels. The first is purely research-based. This involves faculty-to-faculty tie ups with several IITs, the Indian Institute of Science etc. The second association integrates different verticals like research, and Articulation Agreements to enable students to study at UNSW after completing 3 years at the institution in India. We recently signed an agreement with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. We also have agreements with Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Jindal Global University and others.