Everyone has a stake in reducing the loneliness of international students who are studying in Australia, according to the co-author of a new book on International Student Security...

Dr Erlenawati Sawir says students should be prepared to be outgoing but there's also an onus on universities to create events and opportunities to enable Australian and international students to mix with each other and academics.

Dr Erlenawati Sawir checks coverage of the new book in The Australian

Dr Sawir, a Research Fellow at CQUniversity's International Education Research Centre, is co-author of the new book, along with Professor Simon Marginson, Professor Christopher Nyland and Dr Helen Forbes-Mewett.

She says she can relate to the issues facing international students, since it was only a decade ago that she came to Australia from Indonesia for postgraduate studies in socio-linguistics and education. 

"Language can be an issue for students but we can address loneliness too. There seems to be more happening now on campuses to enable students to mix."

Dr Sawir said it was important for students to find the right balance between sticking with their compatriats for comfort and with mixing with other nationalities to extend their social network.

The new book will be launched at Melbourne's Monash University Law Chambers (from 4-6pm on Friday May 21) by Graeme Innes AM, Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Human Rights Commissioner (Human Rights Commision).

Dr Sawir helped gather the data from hundreds of respondents for the Cambridge University Press publication, which argues that the 'no frills' commercial form of tertiary education, designed to minimise costs and maximise revenues, leaves many international students under-protected and the students and their families less than empowered or satisfied.

According to the authors, International Student Security shifts the focus onto human security and the human rights of those moving between states.