The Territory is to welcome back international tertiary education students who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from the start of the 2022 academic year.
Announced by Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, students are to be required to follow the Commonwealth’s vaccination and testing requirements for international arrivals, including being vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Mr Barr said higher education institutions provided a considerable social and economic contribution to Canberra and the return of international students was expected to be welcome news for the City.
Chief Executive Officer of the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Leanne Cover welcomed the announcement.
“This news is welcomed by the CIT, as we understand how important our international students are to the fabric of the Canberra community, particularly in areas of essential work such as health, hospitality and the building and construction trades,” Ms Cover said.
“We look forward to providing quality skills and training to our valued international students and the contribution they make to our local workforce,” she said.
Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), Brian Schmidt said it was great to have clarity about arrangements in the ACT and to know that as soon as the borders opened, ANU students could come “straight home to campus”.
Mr Schmidt said ANU would continue to work with the Commonwealth on arrangements to open the borders to students as soon as it was safe to do so.
