Australia Awards South and West Asia

From October to December, 18 Nepali Australia Awards scholars participated in five Scholars Symposiums across Australia. These events, which had the theme of From Learning to Leading: Make an Impact, were designed to help scholars develop the skills they need to be changemakers after completing their Scholarships.

Each symposium began with an address from a representative of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Speaking at the Sydney Symposium, Crispin Conroy, the State Director of DFAT’s New South Wales State Office and a former Australian Ambassador to Nepal, said, “The granting of an Australia Award marks a recognition of potential. We are pleased to support activities like this Symposium as one way to help you build on that potential and become changemakers for sustainable development—truly taking the step from learning to leading.”

Delivering opening remarks in Sydney on behalf of the scholar cohort, Nepali scholar Shristi Oliya said, “I believe I speak not just for myself, but for all my fellow scholars from South Asia and Mongolia, that an Australia Awards Scholarship provides a window to see the larger world and to reflect on ourselves […] It is an investment in our future, our potential to influence, to uplift and to lead change in the communities we come from and beyond.”

Shristi Oliya speaks at the opening of the Sydney Symposium.

A highlight of each symposium was a panel of expert speakers drawn from the Australian Government, the diplomatic or consular corps, and the development sector. Panel members spoke about a variety of subjects relating to leadership, including the importance of values for leaders, their tips for networking and advice on advocating for change. These speakers included:

• Katie Smith, the Director of DFAT’s South Asia and Mongolia Section, in Canberra
• Harine Somasundaram, a New Colombo Plan Alumni Representative who undertook a New Colombo Plan internship in Nepal, in Sydney
• Catherine Parsons, Senior Advisor, Business and Government Engagement at Walk Free, in Perth
• Nayomi Kannangara, CEO of the International Women’s Development Agency and an Australia Awards alumna herself, in Melbourne.

Nepali scholar Manoj Raut asks the panel a question in Canberra.

The panels were facilitated by a scholar at each event, with Nepali scholar Aprajita Jha moderating the session in Brisbane. Canberra-based Nepali scholar Manoj Raut said, “I especially enjoyed the panel discussion in terms of enlightening myself on different aspects of leadership and strategies to become an effective leader.”

The afternoon of the first day of each symposium was dedicated to leadership or communications training, designed to assist scholars to put into action what they had heard during the opening remarks and panel discussion in the morning.

Reflecting on this training in Melbourne, Nepali scholar Sapana PK said, “I enjoyed the communication and networking workshop as it helped me improve my professional communication skills and build confidence in connecting with others.”

The second day of the symposiums saw scholars consider their Development Impact and Linkages Plans (DILPs) and whether they needed to update them in light of their time in Australia and what they had learnt on the first day of the symposiums. “This encouraged me to review my DILP progress so far, identify areas where I haven’t paid due attention, and plan future actions to stay on track and achieve my goals effectively,” said Nepali scholar Jayandra Bishowakarma.

Scholars also had the opportunity to provide their peers with an overview of their DILP and outline how their studies and professional development activities in Australia had helped them to implement their plans. In Melbourne, Nepali scholar Shailee Chaudhary shared how their time in Australia was building her capacity to work for change for the Madheshi community in Nepal.

Shailee Chaudhary provides an overview of her DILP in Melbourne.

“Meaningful development must be measured by its impact on the most vulnerable,” said Shailee. “Our responsibility, as scholars and future leaders, is to critically engage with the policies and institutions that allocate rights and recognition, and to contribute to building more equitable and inclusive systems in our fields.”

To finish the symposiums, scholars engaged in cultural activities with First Nations Australians. These activities included having an art lesson from Indigenous teachers in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth; viewing the 5^th National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra; and learning to throw a boomerang in Brisbane.

Nepali scholars with Indigenous artist Rhys Jeffs in Melbourne.

For many scholars, the most valuable aspect of the events was the opportunity to network with other scholars from across South Asia and Mongolia.

Summing up the views of many participants, Melbourne-based Nepali scholar Prativa Khanal said, “This Symposium was really engaging and significant in changing my perspective of leadership and networking. It motivated me to forget my past and work for my future goal.”