Four Japanese nursing students from Dubbo’s sister city of Minokamo, are the envy of their peers, having spent the past nine months in Australia while they upgrade their qualifications through Charles Sturt University (CSU).

And the final component of their stay will be spent in Dubbo, where the four students will complete their practical study at Dubbo’s two major hospitals.

The four, nursing teacher Chieko Takasu and students Yukiko Nakaya, Chie Hattori and Yasuo Asakura have spent the past nine months undertaking English language studies, completing their nursing degree and, of course, fitting in travel and sightseeing!

They are the first students from Ajisai Nursing College in Minokamo city to take part in a new program that allows Ajisai students to upgrade their nursing qualifications to a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) by studying one year at CSU.

The students begin their final six week practical component today, with a two week stay at Dubbo Base Hospital, followed by four weeks work experience at Lourdes Private Hospital.

Chie, 21, said the group became interested in Australian nursing after hearing a talk about CSU’s nursing program at their college.

After arriving in Australia last March, they spent 12 weeks studying English language at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus, followed by a semester of study on the Bathurst Campus. 
Over the summer they have been completing their final academic programs, before visiting Dubbo for their final practical work experience component.

However it has not all been work, as the four have visited Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide, and hope to fit in a trip to Perth before returning home to Japan in March.

While in Dubbo the students will also participate in a homestay experience with local families.