ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ways in which Australian education systems, particularly university teacher education programs, have responded to the need for intercultural education. To explore this, we look first at the Australian educational context and then at the demographic pattern of ethnic groups in Australia. The term intercultural education is not widely used in this country and is normally seen as a component of multicultural education, which, (as) viewed in the Australian context, is concerned with encouraging positive interaction between individuals from different cultures and subcultures and providing an understanding of cultural difference. Later in the chapter, we explore the main thrusts of intercultural education in Australian schools and teacher education institutions—Aboriginal studies, ethnic studies, and asian studies—and briefly discuss refugee issues.
