- Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade
Victoria’s international students have been celebrated at the 2019 Victorian International Education Awards.
Now in their seventh year, the awards acknowledge students who have excelled in their studies and their contributions to the broader community.
The awards, including the Premier’s Award for International Student of the Year, highlight the diversity of the sector with categories spanning higher education, VET, language studies, research and students in regional areas.
Winners received $10,000 to go toward studies at a Victorian education institution, while the winner of the research category, Belle Lim, was named overall Premier’s Award winner and received an additional $10,000 scholarship.
A human rights activist and PhD cancer researcher from Malaysia, Ms Lim is the founder of ChangemakHER and conducts research on genetic predispositions to breast cancer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Monash University. Other award winners hailed from the Philippines, Colombia, India, China and Singapore.
All winners will become champions for the Andrews Labor Government’s Study Melbourne initiative, which promotes the state’s world-renowned institutions and unique student offerings.
Victoria is home to a thriving international education industry with 10 universities, 12 TAFEs and more than 250 private education providers generating $11.8 billion in onshore revenue, making international education the state’s largest services export industry and supporting more than 79,000 local jobs.
This year, Melbourne was ranked as Australia’s best student city, and the third best student city in the world behind London and Tokyo, in the QS Best Student Cities 2019 report.
Victoria has launched a new international campaign called ‘Make Melbourne part of your story’ designed to strengthen Victoria’s appeal as a destination of choice for prospective students.
For more information about the awards and winners visit studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/viea2019.
As stated by Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade Martin Pakula
“Victoria’s international education sector is flourishing with more than 227,000 students from 170 countries choosing to study here.”
“This year’s award winners have made a tremendous contribution to the community beyond their own study and research efforts, and it’s great that they are getting the recognition that they deserve.”
As stated by Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney
“International students connect Victorian students to different cultures and ideas, and help us to build the important relationships that link Victoria with the world.”
