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Top 10
Melbourne and Sydney make list of world ’ s top 10 places to study .
Melbourne and Sydney have been named among the top 10 student cities to live in worldwide , according to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking .
The latest set of rankings sees Melbourne take out 6th place , down from 3rd last year , and Sydney rising one place to 8th on this year ’ s list .
All up , seven Australian cities were ranked with Brisbane at 29 , Perth and Adelaide joint 35th , Canberra at 37 and the Gold Coast placing at 89 of 115 .
Ben Sowter , Director of Research at QS , said : “ Australia has long been one of the world ’ s premier destinations for international students , and the country ’ s outstanding performance in our Student Mix indicator – five of the world ’ s top 15 scores are achieved by Australian cities – is a testament to this fact .”
However , Sowter believes that Australia has some work to do to keep its high ranking .
“ For one , affordability scores continue to decline , with students likely to be increasingly reliant on scholarships or student subsidies to facilitate their study in Australia ,” he said .
“ Second : continued uncertainty about the status of Australia ’ s international borders – with respect to existing as well as prospective students – means that policy evolution will be necessary if the country is to retain its privileged position in the eyes of international students .” ■
No comply
The psychology of COVID non-compliers revealed .
People who buck COVID-19 restrictions tend to be less intellectual , more extroverted and male .
Many nations who have endured extended periods of pandemic lockdowns have also seen a section of the community purposefully break restrictions , notably in the UK and Australia with a recent series of lockdown protests .
A COVID-19 protester is arrested in Melbourne . Photo : Darrian Traynor
Researchers from the University of Sydney assessed attitudes towards the pandemic regulations among people from Australia , the UK , the US , and Canada , and found that roughly 10 per cent of people were non-compliers .
Non-compliers shared a number of personality traits .
The study found that they were less cooperative and considerate people , less intellectual as a personality trait ( less willing to try new experiences ), and more extroverted .
These people also put a priority on personal freedom and their own self-interest .
“ Alarmingly , the non-compliant group were more likely than the compliant group to leave their home to meet friends or family , for religious reasons , because they are bored , and to exercise their right to freedom ,” said lead author , Associate Professor Sabina Kleitman from the University of Sydney School of Psychology .
Non-compliant people were less likely to get their COVID information from official sources , such as the government and news media , and were also less likely to verify the accuracy of information .
Non-compliers also engaged in harmful coping methods such as denial and substance abuse .
The large part of the community who were compliant with COVID-19 restrictions ( 90 per cent ) also shared common traits .
They tended to be young , female , educated , worry more , and believe in government-mandated protective measures .
Compliant people coped with the stress of the pandemic more productively , with strategies like distraction and planning . Those individuals perceived their government as being more truthful than those who are non-compliant . ■
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