AUS-AUN Engagement: AUN Secretariat Strengthened Ties with Different Key Stakeholders of Australian Higher Education Sector in the Victorian Universities Roundtable

By Saruta Srichoosin and Soranee Chuyingsakultip, AUN Programme Officers

On 1 March 2024, the ASEAN University Network had the opportunity to participate in the Victorian Universities Roundtable organised by Study Melbourne and ASEAN Focus Group in the lead-up to the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne. The meeting, which is a part of the ASEAN-Australia Education Dialogue, saw the attendance of 25 key representatives from Study Melbourne, its 7 member universities, and representatives from the AUN Secretariat and key stakeholders of Australian higher education sector including Victoria State Government and Sector Organisations such as Times Higher Education (THE), NEAS (National ELT Accreditation Scheme) Australia, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), and more. The dialogue explored possible strategic initiatives to strengthen ASEAN-Australia education partnership.

(Photo at the courtesy of Study Melbourne)

The participants were welcomed to the meeting by Mr. Michael Fay OAM, Director of ASEAN Focus Group and Special Advisor to AUN Executive Director and Ms. Caroline Hartnett, Acting Director, International Education, Study Melbourne.
In the meeting, Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, the Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) introduced the ASEAN University Network together with its key strategic focuses which include capacities building in English Language Teaching (ELT) and English Medium Instruction (EMI) as well as on-going engagement between AUN and Australia partners such as Western Sydney University, Macquarie University, and NEAS Australia. Following Dr. Choltis’ presentation, Mr. Adam Kilburn, CEO of NEAS Australia also shared with the meeting NEAS’s past engagement with AUN and its mission as the global leader in quality assurance for the ELT community.

Afterward, in a session on  “Australian transnational education delivery in ASEAN and the keys to success,” Ms. Caroline Hartnett, Acting Director of Study Melbourne and International Education, shed light on the growing number of international students, particularly from ASEAN countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. With this trend in mind, Study Melbourne together with Australian education specialists has set up Study Melbourne hubs in Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, and Shanghai to facilitate the flowing tide of academic mobility and empower the potential future leaders.

In this effort, Study Melbourne has partnered with Global Citizen, a leading international advocacy organisation. Together, they created “Global Citizen Now,” a programme co-chaired by  distinguished figures such as Sarah Furguson, Duchess of York; Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister of Timor Leste; Ban Ki-Moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations; and Alvaro Lario, President of International Fund for Agricultural Development. This initiative aims to cultivate leadership skills among aspiring young people from ASEAN nations and provides a platform for them to connect, collaborate, and contribute to positive regional change.

The meeting continued with a sharing session from the representatives from participating universities of Study Melbourne, including:

• Deakin University
• Victoria University
• The University of Melbourne
• Swinburne University of Technology
• Federation University
• Monash University
• RMIT University 

Throughout this session, many members have expressed their interest in deepening ties with the ASEAN region and have established overseas campuses such as RMIT in Vietnam, Monash in Malaysia and Indonesia, Deakin in Indonesia, and Swinburne in Malaysia.

In the subsequent session led by Ms. Julie Wilkens McMahon, Regional Director APAC, and Ms. Simone Dilena, President APAC, Times Higher Education (THE); the representatives from THE discussed the importance of building ASEAN-Australia higher education partnerships to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They emphasised that sustainability serves as an attractive and universally accepted framework for collaboration, with a growing number of Australian and ASEAN universities prioritising sustainability within their university strategies. Last year's impact rankings demonstrated the strong performance of both Australian and ASEAN universities, with 15 ASEAN institutions ranking within the top 200, an increasing number from the previous rankings. Additionally, ASEAN universities are actively seeking greater international engagement and collaboration, supported by ASEAN governments' prioritisation of growth in national higher education sectors through increased investment and supportive policies. These international collaborations contribute to geopolitical and financial stability in the Asia Pacific region as part of a broader strategic approach.

Overall, the roundtable meeting marked a meaningful expansion for the ASEAN University Network in engaging with more possible partners from Australia. The AUN Secretariat would like to express its sincerest appreciation to the ASEAN Focus Group and Study Melbourne for making this valuable opportunity for exchanging ideas and exploring mutual priorities and focuses possible. The ideas and insights gained from this roundtable will serve as a fertile foundation for future collaboration and partnerships between Australian higher education stakeholders and ASEAN countries to thrive.

Read more about our engagement with Australian partners at:

• AUS-AUN Engagement: Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti as the Keynote Speaker at the Deputy Vice-Chancellors (International) Committee (DVCI) Meeting
• AUS-AUN Engagement: AUN Secretariat’s Dynamic Dialogue with the Department of Education and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
• AUS-AUN Engagement: AI for Curriculum Design and Delivery with OpenLearning