February 21, 2017

Students get inside look at Australia/US relationship

Students from UOW’s Faculty of Business recently got a unique ‘inside view’ of the Australia/US relationship at a guest lecture presented by a senior US Consulate official at the Wollongong Campus. 

Consul for Political and Economic Affairs to the United States Consulate General, Andrea Aquilla, hosted the informal, hour long Q&A forum for more than 40 Business Faculty students and staff.

Ms Aquilla described the depth and breadth of the Australia/US relationship, from close military ties forced over two world wars and every conflict since through to the US’ place as Australia’s biggest trading partner, accounting for about a quarter of the foreign direct investment in Australia.

She also described the close commercial relationship between the two countries, with Australia home to US aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s largest facility outside of the United States as well as significant investments from other US corporations.

Ms Aquilla also highlighted the increasing collaboration between the US and Australia in medical research, particularly in areas such as genome sequencing for the development of new medical treatments, and opportunities for Australians to do business, study and research in the USA.

The informal questions and answers session that followed ranged from the recent election of President Trump and the new administration’s emerging priorities through to the recent controversies surrounding interactions between both countries’ leaders, changes to US immigration laws and the complexities of the South China Sea and taxation arrangements for US-based multinational corporations.

The visit to UOW was part of the Consulates ongoing program of engagement with universities across NSW through guest lectures and seminars with small student groups.