The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) with the support of the Australian High Commission and partners will stage the "Australian Education Excellence Showcase 2011" in Colombo from March 1 to 2 at the Cinnamon Lakeside.Twenty seven Australian universities and vocational institutions will participate to showcase Education Excellence to Sri Lankan students wishing to pursue further education in Australia.

Speaking about the event, Australian High Commissioner Kathy Klugman, noted that Australia and Sri Lanka have shared extensive bilateral relations over many decades. The modern bonds the two countries have built are the sum of many parts, and include a history of partnership in areas such as migration, education, trade and investment, people-to-people links and development cooperation. Australia has been a development partner from the time of Sri Lankan independence in 1948 and remains committed to contributing to the economic and social development of Sri Lanka, including by strengthening educational links between the two countries.

Austrade's senior official in South Asia, Peter Linford, said that Austrade took pleasure in inviting Australian institutions to Colombo to give prospective students and their families an opportunity to look closely at possible future education prospects in Australia. This initiative, undertaken by Austrade, will promote the growth of the educational partnership between Australia and Sri Lanka and help support future demands in Sri Lanka's business sector.

Australia has long ranked among the most popular education destinations for Sri Lankan students, offering a standard of education recognised among the best in the world. Substantial numbers of Sri Lankan graduates are applying skills and knowledge acquired in Australia here in Sri Lanka, in relevant fields of expertise in the government and private sector. The showcase will be an opportunity for participating institutions to introduce and brief students on education opportunities in Australia from broad undergraduate and vocational programmes to highly focused graduate professional courses including research and PhD programmes.

The Australian Government with its partners welcomes participating institutions and potential students to the showcase to be held on March 1-2, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo.

Media contact: David Samuel: Australian Trade Commission, Colombo. Email: David.Samuel@austrade.gov.au