“We aim to improve upon last year’s initiatives and roll out new projects. The main focus for the year is to build a really strong grassroots movement,” Nina Khairina, incoming president, said following the council’s conference and AGM this month.

“The main focus for the year is to build a really strong grass-root movement”

This year’s officer elections, held during the event, were the most competitive to date, proving the organisation’s value to international students, Khairina added.

“My team this year consists of fellow student leaders who share the same passion and commitment to empower more international students and as such, I am confident that we can push for real changes,” she said. “It is definitely going to be an exiting year for CISA.”

Equipping students for effective lobbying was a key theme of the conference, as workshop sessions focussing on international student rights and advocacy proved particularly popular among the more than 200 delegates.

Accommodation, workplace discrimination and the quality of the overall student experience were key concerns among delegates, reflecting the results of CISA’s recent survey of nearly 1,000 students.

During panel sessions it was acknowledged that affecting change through lobbying may be a slow process, but CISA has pledged to listen to students and ensure their voices are heard by industry stakeholders.

“The students’ concerns have been clearly raised and in the future, CISA will endeavor to listen more and act according to the direction given by its members,” Khairina said.

“I am confident that the newly elected team will continue the work of the past executive team to maintain and grow the CISA’s spirit to independently advocate for the welfare and interest of international students in Australia,” commented outgoing president Thomson Ch’ng.