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GROUP OF EIGHT

GOBIERNO DE CHILE

'&'UNIVERSITIES

MINISTER10 DE RELACIONES EXTERIORES

CHILE-AUSTRALIA'S GROUP OF EIGHT

LETTER

INTENT

The Government of Chile and Australia's Group of Eight universities (hereafter referred to as"the Parties")

RECOGNISING

a long standing relationship between the governments of Chile and Australia, and the need tostrengthen and develop cooperation in the fields of Education, Science,Technology and Innovation, under theChilean Bicentennial Fund for Human Capital Development;

CONSIDERING

that this understanding complements the government-to-government agreement oncooperation in the field of education and the Chapter of Cooperation of the FreeTrade Agreement betweenboth countries;

AGREE

the following:

ARTICLE

1.1 In response to the Government of Chile's desire to increase access and promote equal opportunities forChilean students to advanced degree studies in Australia, the Group of Eight universities with capacity to do soand subject to each university's own admission and selection processes, will provide training to students whohave been awarded scholarships by the Chilean Government in the following programs:

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asters programs Graduate students TWO (2) YearsPhD programs Graduate students FOUR (4) YearsEnglish training &faculty visits* School system teachers ONE (1) Semester*"Exchange

internship Academic staff and researchers ONE

(1)

Semester or YearThesis developmentMaster and PhD students a period of up to 12 monthsPostdoctoral &sabbatical periods Academic staff and researchers OhlE

(1)

or TWO (2) Years

Not all Go8 universities offer teacher training

period of up to six months1.2 The program shall be known

thewChile-Australla'sGroup of Eight (Go8) Agreement on Human CapitalDevelopment, (hereafter theUProgramu).1.3 The Program will emphasise Chile's needs to strengthen human capital development and improve thescope and quality of education, scientific &technological research and innovation, in areas associated with

its

socio-economic development in order to improve its global competitiveness.1.4 Priority fields of study for Chilean scholarship recipients and joint research programs will include: Mining,OffshoreTechnologies, Agriculture and Food Industry, Aquaculture and Fishing,Tourism and Hospitality,Biotechnology, Information and Communication Technologies, Energy, Environmental Issues, Health, Education,Housing and Public Security.

1.5

Further fields of cooperation may be added by mutual consent of the Parties.

ARTICLE II

2.1 The Program will grant government scholarships to up to

500

participants each year for Chilean studentsto enrol in Australia's Group of Eight universities.2.2 Australia's Group of Eight universities are invited to negotiate individual agreements with other Chileangovernment agencies and educational institutions.This Agreement will not affect in any case pre-existingagreements between member institutions of the Parties and other Chilean government agencies or universities.2.3 All member institutions of the Parties shall be eligible for consideration as participants in the Program.2.4 The Group of Eight will appoint

facilitation agency in Chile to assist in screening and processingapplications, placement and enrolment, visa application and pre-departure briefing; and liaison with theGovernment of Chile where appropriate.

ARTICLE

Ill

3.1 The Government of Chile will:a. Determine each year, in collaboration with Australia's Group of Eight universities and following merit-based application processes, the number of grants to be awarded during the following academic year.b. Cover living expenses (following advice from Australia's Group of Eight universities) or scholarshipholders while enrolled in Australia.c. Fund tuition fees for those students who are not granted financial awards from Australia's Group of Eightuniversities where they intend to enrol. Individual Go8 universities will have the discretion to discuss anddetermine their own program financial support and assistance provisions.d. Provide roundtrip air ticket (economy) rom Chile to the relevant study or research destination in Australia.e. Cover additional expenses incurred, by the selected grantees and/or their dependants,

deemednecessary by the Chilean Government.f. Fund English language training courses in Chile for those who do not meet the language entrancerequirements established by the enrolling Australian university.g. Provide living expenses for up to six months for scholarship holders in need of full-time English languageproficiency courses in Australia.h. Cover administrative costs incurred for selection, data processing, supervision and monitoring of participants.3.2 Chilean responsibilities towards Australian graduate students, faculty members and researcher participantsin exchange programs in Chile:a. Facilitate the issue of study permits/visas to the participants and dependants for entry into Chile, subjectto Chile's laws and regulations, covering the duration of the program of study.b. Provide guidance to make their applications to Chilean universities appropriate to each participant's needs.c. Explore alternatives for Spanish language training in Chile for participants who may need it.

ARTICLE IV

4.1 Australia's Group of Eight universities will:a. Determine each year, in collaboration with the Bicentennial Committee for Human Capital Development,and following

merit-based application process, the number of student places to be awarded duringthe following academic year.

With the cooperation of their facilitation agency in Chile, facil~tatehe issue of study permits/visas to theparticipants and dependants for entry into Australia, subject to Australla's laws and regulations, coveringthe duration of the program of study.c. Advise the Chilean Government on appropriate minimum levels of living expenses in each city.