The first-ever cohort of StudyPerth international student ambassadors to promote Western Australia has been announced at a ceremony held during the 2019 Council of International Students Australia conference.
Announced in Perth, the 10 ambassadors, representing countries including Malaysia, Ghana, Colombia and India, were selected from more than 100 applicants and were chosen as part of WA’s international education strategy launched at the end of 2018.
“When real students share their real experiences, people listen”
“The launch of this [ambassador] program is the launch of one of the most important parts of our strategy for international education,” said WA minister for education and training Sue Ellery.
“We were elected on a promise… about creating more jobs and diversifying the economy and an important part of how we do that is by increasing the amount of international students who come to study here in WA.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Ellery added the ambassadors would play a substantial role in communicating the benefits of WA after the state saw overseas student numbers decline during Australia’s recent boom period.
“We’ve been competing against our colleagues in the eastern states for a while on this issue, and I think it was clear to everybody that WA wasn’t really taking advantage of the things that we had,” she said.
As part of the program, the ambassadors will also receive leadership and communication training to help them create content for prospective students, including through online as well as speaking at industry events.
“The International Student Ambassadors will speak at various events to audiences interested in hearing about the international student experience and the social and economic benefits international education bring to WA,” StudyPerth chief executive Phil Payne Said.
“Having students tell their inspiring stories about living and studying in Perth will encourage others to follow in their path.
“When real students share their real experiences, people listen.”
In early 2019, StudyPerth launched its first series of initiatives as part of its Action Plan 2019-2025, tailored around the strategy for international education.
