Australian Universities - The Customer Perspective

It is reported there are currently 300000 university students from outside Australia studying in our nation's universities. 

This number of students is larger than the population of the greater Wollongong area, from Helensburgh down the coast to Shell Cove. Wollongong is ranked as the tenth largest conurbation in Australia.

These students pay full fees, do not get subsidised public transport in most cities but do contribute to the local economic areas in spending for accommodation, food and daily amenities. Several universities in the capital cities have a significant number of such students, like from China, India and south-east Asia. 

Do such International students socially mix with their local fellow students and vice-versa? Many are allowed to work for a capped ceiling number of hours, especially in retail outlets. Graduates of Australian universities are encouraged with bridging visas to continue staying on if they can find related work. 

International students are a critical part of the process of Immigration, property boom and skilled inflows affecting the socio- economic parameters in contemporary Australia. They are part of the spectrum of labour and knowledge supply chain that also involves tourist visa over stayers, 457 visa holders and the underground economy. 

With this waterfall of cash revenue for universities, is there a big risk of the quality compromised in the delivery of teaching and social support for students as customers? Are students increasingly seen as supplying funds to be used more by universities for research and securing commercial opportunities? 

Universities do not pay tax in Australia - but the threatened funding cuts from the Coalition Government in Canberra can still shake up budget restructuring imperatives for our higher tertiary institutions. Where are such cuts going to make an impact in the operations of our university sector? Administrative expenses have suffered cuts for many years - the next question is which other area is targeted for reduced spending and hence a deterioration in service and engagement levels.

Universities will increasingly wake up to competition for any cash cows they may have taken for granted for so many years. Alternative options in training, certification and accreditation can now challenge the traditional university route to a career. Employment prospects can be better if one does not go to university. Local students in Australia can also lower their risks for incurring a huge financial debt after graduation if they smartly choose other paths to what they really want to do after study. 

Universities in Australia do realise that they are not the only ones milking the study and career dreams of foreign students and markets. The source markets are also developing their quality centres of learning. Other suppliers off shore are challenging the attractiveness of coming to Australia to study, but may not provide the captivating migration options. 

Hong Kong Island Revisited 2017

A friendly visitor in Hong Kong with family - Mid-Levels.

Baked pastries like chicken pies and custard tarts, inspired by Western colonials like Britain and the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries.     North Point Markets.

The iconic classic stereotype of a Hong Kong street, with trams, buses, pedestrians and buzz.

A downsized fire engine waits on a sloping street in a busy part of the city - Wellington Street.

A cloudy and humid morning in Central.

The street escalators are still working all right - the other tour experience is to take the train up the Peak.

Upmarket shopping at the IFC Mall, Central.

Midnight at Causeway Bay.

Community game after a passing shower.

Hong Kong - North Point Markets

The most happy veg seller I have ever come across - and I am amazed at the variety he has on offer!

Known in Cantonese dialect as "Pak Kak", North Point offers one of the most interesting corners you can visit in Hong Kong.    Min Nan is also a popular language for this hub of small business, as many people of Hokkien descent settled here after escaping from political upheaval in south-east Asia.    Another group, comprising Shanghainese, came here after the Communist Revolution of 1949;  their legacy includes the Sunbeam Theatre offering Chines opera performances and the Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School, the first educational institution to offer instruction in Putonghua (or Mandarin).  North Point was also used for a prisoner of war camp by the Imperial Japanese Army.   The Hong Kong Electric Company also set up a significant power station in the early years of the 20th century.

Fresh and delectable seafood can come hard by or are charged at expensive prices in the world's largest cities,  but at North Point, one cannot help buying some.

Housewives, maids and others are like the early birds who can pick the best "worms" - in this case, the freshest, the best looking and the better quality produce.

The best culinary delights here can be traditional, authentic and down to earth.    We saw desserts  (or Tong Sui), hot pots, custard tarts, roast meats, egg waffles, stir fry veg, steamed seafood, snacks, biscuits, dumplings, preserved eggs and more.    A good option is to also head to Java Road, where the Cooked Food Centre distinguishes itself by the Tung Po Restaurant.

On the other side of the foodie spectrum, the Michelin Star winning Lei Gardens has a branch in North Point offering delectable Yum Cha sessions.   Yue Restaurant at the City Garden Hotel is also noted for reliable Cantonese cooking with quality standards.    

In China, the use of red coloured lights accompany the butchers - and this can be seen as well in south-east Asia.

The wide variety of fruits on sale in North Point - bananas from Fujian, cherries from the USA, rambutans from the Equator, longans and citrus fruits.

Located on the eastern districts of Hong Kong Island itself, North Point is not difficult to get to - we just jumped on to the two level and narrow classic Trams that have been operating for untold years.     As our Tram approached North Point itself, I could feel the buzz, the crowdedness and the vibes in even more intensity.   As the Tram was about to turn into a curve, we got off - mind your head on the narrow stairs if you are coming down from the upper level.     We were fortunate to just step out at the start of the street with the markets - Chun Yueng Street.

I was truly captivated by the eyes of this crab variety - the seafood is so fresh we came across an active fish shaking water all over the customers!

No raw chicken meats are sold outdoors in Hong Kong - and their absence is so noticeable in North Point.   The ghastly experience with SARS more than a decade ago, coupled with the penchant for bird flu to raise its ugly head during the cooler winter months - has made the SAR Government very strict about the handling of chicken meat.

You can also get to North Point on the MTR subway lines  (Island Line or Tseung Kwan O Line).

North Point is a walk about place -  apart from the markets, try covering at least Java Road, Tin Hau Temple Road , Tsat Tsz Mui Road, Tong Shui Road and Wharf Road.  There are also other educational institutions of note in North Point -   the Hong Kong Japanese School and the Chinese International School are both on Braemar Hill.

The North Point markets do remind me of Shantou streets, in a city up the coast of Guangdong.   There is an adrenalin of the people moving about and working, buying and selling, walking and watching - all this can at times be lost in large swaths of territories and nations which have less urgency and more comfort in the course of daily life.    I can envisage that the residents here may not need to cook, as in other parts of Hong Kong where freshly cooked food is so easily accessible - and there is no need to keep a fridge or freezer at home.  We dropped by a pop up shop selling IT accessories - and the lady was friendly in attending to us.    There may not be many fancy contemporary hipster barista cafes at North Point - I did not come across any - but it is all right, for the delights of North Point continue to be unique in a fast changing world.

Fishballs, rolled yummies with bean curd skins, calamari, octopus, dried shrimp and more -  some of the essential ingredients in southern Chinese cooking.

Asian vegetables are now mostly sourced from Guangdong province.