Asia Society Australia and the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) have joined hands on a research project to examine how Australian young leaders are engaging with Asia amidst the pandemic and closed borders. Under the partnership – supported by the Victorian Government – Asia Society Australia and IEAA will deliver three reports: “Keeping Connected”, “Asia Competency and The Future of Work”, and “Championing our Talent”. The project is a part of Asia Society Australia’s Generation Asia pillar.

With Asian languages and studies education in continual decline in Australia, the next generation of Australian young professionals are set to be most adversely affected by regional tensions, travel immobility, policy apathy and the ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. To navigate an increasingly contested region, Australia needs to maintain and grow a pool of future Asia-engaged leaders.  

Despite the challenges of the past two years, innovation and creativity has helped to maintain youth-led connections to our region. The research project aims to capture some of these innovations and showcase practical youth-focused solutions, pathways and policy recommendations to grow links between Australian young leaders and their peers in Asia.

As Australia’s leading association for international education, Asia Society Australia is pleased to partner with IEAA to deliver this work. Led by Dr Kirrilee Hughes, IEAA’s Research Manager, we are privileged to bring together an esteemed steering group comprising Rebecca Hall, Commissioner for Victoria to South East Asia, Professor Ly Tran, Melbourne Asia Game Changer Awardee and School of Education, Deakin University, Professor Ren Yi, Pro Vice-Chancellor -International, University of Southern Queensland and IEAA Board Member, Dr Davina Potts, Director, Future Students, the University of Melbourne, Jon Chew, Head of Strategic Insights and Analytics, Navitas, Rebecca Cozens, PhD Candidate, Griffith University and representing IEAA Young Professionals, and Eloise Dolan, Program Manager, Asia Society Australia.

Asia Society Australia welcomes submissions, case studies and comments on this project across Australia and Asia. Contact Generation Asia lead, Eloise Dolan on [email protected].

To set the scene for the project launch, we also invite you to watch interviews below with key youth partners on their work and issues affecting Australian young leaders’ links to the region.