Award Holder Stories
Australia Awards brings long-lasting benefits to both individuals, communities, organisations and countries. Award holders see their career prospects significantly enhanced and their personal and professional lives enriched by the experience
The following are four such stories:
Siaan Matthews
'In 2007 I received an Endeavour Award for PhD fieldwork in Malaysia on the Australia-Malaysia bilateral relationship. In both academic and personal terms, this Award changed my life.
In academic terms, the Award allowed me to successfully integrate into the Malaysian research community. I was based with the Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA) at the University of Malaya. My colleagues there were very positive about my research and it was a pleasure to work in such a supportive academic environment.
My Award also “opened doors”. Despite being relatively new, the Endeavour program is already well-known in Malaysia. The respect shown for this award allowed me to participate in an extraordinarily wide-range of academic events.
For example, I participated in the 5th International Convention of Asian Scholars, the organisation and the presentation of the International Conference on Democratisation and Good Governance in the Malaysian Public Sector, the first high-level Malaysia-Australia Colloquium, a series of forums held by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies and I was even the only non-Asian participant at the Malaysia-Indonesia 50 Years of Relations Special Conference!
I also undertook a series of interviews and was granted access to senior civil servants and opinion leaders at the highest level. My PhD now feeds in the attitudes and beliefs of Director Generals and CEOs of some of Malaysia’s key ministries.
On the personal side, the experience was also life-changing. Unbelievably, I actually met my future husband in Malaysia, and we are now married. This marriage brings family, cultural, linguistic, food and an infinite number of other lifelong Malaysian ties.
Now living in Australia, I often reflect back on my Award experience. The Award was the perfect academic break. With the support and contacts made in Malaysia, I can guarantee my research is of the highest calibre.
Moreover, with the additional experience gained from the Award, I’ve now taken a lecturing position for a course on Malaysia at the Australian National University. I’m also organsing several Malaysia-related conferences for later in the year and am very much looking forward to seeing my Malaysian colleagues ‘down under’. These activities, together with my ongoing research, will ensure I continue to remain part of the Malaysian academic community.
But the Award doesn’t stop there. In addition to this academic progress, the Award has also brought with it a myriad of personal changes. From new family to new friends, new food to new faith; the Endeavour Awards exposed me to a mix of cultures like no other.
The Endeavour Awards promotes itself as a unique opportunity to take the next step in an academic or professional career. I argue this program is about much more than just the next career step, this program is about the next step in life.'
Ian Vaevaso
When senior investigating officer Ian Vaevaso returns to Solomon Islands, he’d like to see on his beat more activities to help young people stay out of trouble including blue light discos and sports programs. ‘I saw how blue-light discos were helping to keep young people in remote communities in the Northern Territory out of mischief,’ says Ian. ‘These discos don’t exist in Solomon Islands but they would be a great way of helping to stop kids getting on the wrong side of the law.’
Ian Vaevaso is a recipient of an Australian Leadership Award Fellowship and was hosted by the Northern Territory Police for 9 weeks looking at youth crime prevention strategies. Ian has been a police officer in Solomon Islands since 1996, working in different areas of the force and through the difficult years of the ethnic tensions. ‘It was very hard for us to do our jobs during the tensions. We really couldn’t work properly until the intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.’
Since the restoration of law and order the number of young people moving from rural to urban centres has increased steadily. Many live in settlements on the outskirts of Honiara, the country’s capital. Some end up joining criminal gangs. ‘In Solomon Islands 40 per cent of the population is under 15. However job creation has not kept up with population growth and many young people do not have jobs, nor much prospect of employment. ‘Many turn to petty crime to make ends meet,’ he says.
There are many similarities between indigenous communities in the Northern Territory and Solomon Islands. Some, such as high unemployment levels and substance abuse, present particular challenges to policing. Through his ALA Fellowship Ian worked alongside Northern Territory police for two months, identifying the crime prevention and diversion strategies they used that could be adapted to Solomon Islands.
‘I was able to join officers from the juvenile crime prevention and detention teams working in urban and remote communities. ‘I was impressed with some of the things the police were doing to divert kids from crime, especially their sports programs and blue-light discos. There was always a good turnout to the discos. I’ll be recommending we introduce the discos in Solomon Islands because it’s when kids are bored and have nothing to do that they get involved in the wrong things.’
‘I was also very interested in the way the Northern Territory Police tries to give some of the kids who have done something wrong a second chance by getting them involved in programs. This doesn’t happen in Solomon Islands but it’s a very good idea. I’d like to see it developed back home.’
Ian’s experience with the Northern Territory Police is an example of the way Australia is helping build up skills and expertise within the Solomon Islands Police Force and creating stronger policing links between Australia and Pacific island nations.
Tiante Tarakia Tarakia
Tiante Tarakia Tarakia is studying his Masters of Science in Renewable Energy – at Murdoch University in Perth.
Tiante works as an Assistant Energy Project Engineer at the Energy Planning unit within the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities and is responsible for the implementation of renewable energy projects, energy surveys and audits.
Tiante started his professional life as a teacher having obtained a Bachelor of Science majoring in Physics and Mathematics through the University of the South Pacific. Tiante taught science at outer island schools and transformed a bare class room into a fully functioning science laboratory. He successfully challenged the view that this could only be done with large sums of money and/or external funding – which of course the school did not have. Tiante sourced all materials locally and even fitted the gas and water.
He believes that inspiring people, coupled with honesty and good managerial skills are some of the essential qualities of a leader.
Tiante has two visions for the future of Kiribati that he hopes he will contribute to through his scholarship. “Innovations in science and technology must be developed and accomplished by Kiribati. My country has rich resources in renewable energy which must be fully utilized. This can only be realized if human capacity is well developed through good education and training. My second vision is for my country to develop and adopt a science and technology policy which includes a sound energy policy, through which energy projects can be effectively implemented. I am still young but ambitious, I am confident that I can achieve my goals in the near future.”
Tiante’s advice for other potential scholars – “Good communication skills are essential for any aspiring leaders, regardless of which field you pursue. Australia has excellent standards for education, it’s a perfect choice for an scholar who has vision. ALA provides the opportunity.”
“Vision is the imagination to reach beyond the horizon. Fundamentally we must aim to help develop our countries. The poor state of our countries is the horizon we much reach beyond.”
Damdin Tsogtbaatar
Damdin Tsogtbaatar was working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when he was awarded an Australian Development Scholarship. After returning home he specialised in Economic and Trade Cooperation and is now the Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Mongolia. Damdin has also several articles and chapters on International Trade and Business Law.
“The ADS program benefited me 150% I think. It gave me more than I expected.’
Mr Tsogtbaatar has fond memories of Australia and the opportunities that were provided to him through the ADS program. He is now an avid member of the Mozzie (Australian Mongolian Alumni Association) community in Mongolia.
‘There is a sense of community, a sense of union of common experience. You lived in a culture and a society that leaves very fond memories in you. It’s sort of an addiction to go back to those days. These were the best days. We share fond memories and that is something that unites us. If an Australian calls and asks for something then that will be something that you need to do. It is a pleasure to help another Australian or Mozzie. If they ask for something you know that they will be asking for something that is worth supporting. As friends you always try to support each other’.
Like many Mongolians, Mr Tsogtbaatar undertook his undergraduate studies in Russia but was particularly supportive of the Australian approach to higher learning.
‘Australian education puts more emphasis on the applicability of knowledge – the knowledge to be applied in life. It polishes those areas that you are going to be immediately using in life. It is very pragmatic’.
It is this pragmatism that Mr Tsogtbaatar finds most appealing for his own work as he helps Mongolia move towards a full market economy.
‘Australian education made me different and it helps me. It is the equipment that I have gained and that I use. You become very pragmatic and efficient I think. For example, when you do your work you always know that there is an end user and you want to make it easily understandable to that person – very concise, logical, interconnected and also very novel. That’s a very market economy oriented pattern of thinking’.
Indeed, Mr Tsogtbaatar claims that the Mozzies’ exposure to policies and practices Down Under has influenced some of Mongolia’s own policy decision making processes.
‘In this country the law on government revenue expenditure is based on New Zealand experience, done by the Mozzies. People look Down Under for experiences. People have this orientation towards Australia – you have these systems and laws in place that are valuable to look at’.
The advantages to Australia in fostering bilateral support and investment are also clear.
‘You get altruistic supporters of Australia. If Australia comes up with certain international initiatives you try to help. When it comes to Australian investment it’s natural that people here, particularly those who have been educated in Australia, will be supportive. It’s not paying dues – it’s a conviction that Australian companies have good technologies, good ethics – so it is the knowledge of the system and the knowledge of the real value they can bring’.
The returns on such investment extend beyond those than simply the scholarship recipient and the work they do. It is clear that other incidental returns are also being achieved.
‘My family benefited too’, said Mr Tsogtbaatar. ‘My wife has never formally studied English but when we travelled to Australia her English improved and that has now helped her to receive a scholarship in Tropical Hygiene. My daughter also picked up English there. For all this, in Mongolia, it wouldn’t have been affordable to me’.
Author - Peter Nolan