Founded 7 July 2010 Website www.cisa.edu.au | Area served Australia | |
Type Peak international students representative body Mission To advocate for the interests and needs of international students | ||
The Council of International Students Australia, or CISA, is the peak representative body for international students in Australia. CISA was founded on 7 July 2010 in Hobart, Tasmania and provides member associations with representation to the Federal government, and peak bodies such as the Australian Research Council, English Australia, ACPET, TAFE Directors Australia and Universities Australia, on issues affecting postgraduate students in Australia.
Contents
Recognising the overlap between undergraduate, postgraduate, domestic and international students, CISA works in collaboration with the National Union of Students and Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations where matters impact on all students (such as voluntary student unionism and travel concessions).
Purpose
History
Following the collapse of the National Liaison Committee for International Students in Australia in 2008, international students lacked a legitimate and credible national representative body to advocate on their behalf. In July 2010, 52 student, ethnic and community organisations gathered in Hobart, Tasmania to formally constitute a new peak representative organisation, CISA, at an Inaugural General Meeting (IGM).
The IGM was the culmination of two years of discussion among representative bodies and international students. The process was supported by a working group of international student representatives from across Australia, convened at an international students’ forum hosted in Melbourne in 2009. The 2010 Forum was hosted at the University of Tasmania and coincided with the Education Conference of the National Union of Students. Around 80 international student representatives attended, from all states and all levels of post-secondary education.
National Organisation
2015-2016
At the Annual General Meeting in July of each year, CISA member affiliates elect national office bearers. For the 2015/2016 term, the national office bearers are:
CISA also has ex officio officers on the national executive committee from:
NUS : July 2010 - Dec 2010 : Lily Yuen
Jan 2011 - July 2011 : Indrajeet Chauhan
CAPA :
Cham Ha
AFIS:
Linna He
2011-2012
At the Inaugural conference followed by AGM of CISA held in July 2011 at Victoria University in Melbourne, New team was elected for the year of 2011-2012; the national office bearers are:
NUS : July 2011 - Dec 2011 : Indrajeet Chauhan
Jan 2012 - July 2012 : Ashraf Alfian
CAPA :
Cham Ha
AFIS: July 2011 - Dec 2011 : Linna He
Jan 2012 - July 2012 : Catherine Nguyen
2012-2013
At the second national conference followed by AGM of CISA held in July 2012 at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, New team was elected for the year of 2012-2013; the national office bearers are:
CISA also has ex officio officers on the national executive committee from:
NUS : Ashraf Alfian
CAPA :
AFIS:
2013-2014
At the 3rd National Conference followed by AGM of CISA held in July 2013 at TAFE Sydney Institute, New team was elected for the year of 2013-2014; the national office bearers are:
2014-2015
At the 4th National Conference followed by AGM of CISA held in July 2014 at University of South Australia, new team was elected for the year of 2014-2015; the national office bearers are:
CISA also has ex officio officers on the national executive committee from:
NUS : Johnny Zhang
CAPA : Walter Robbles
AFIS: Kai Jie Lim
State Organisation
As a new organisation, CISA is in the process of assisting the states and territories organize elections for the State Divisions of CISA.