AEI Events for 2010
April 2010
Australia-Malaysia Medical Research Medical Colloquium 28-29 April 2010
The Australian High Commission hosted a Malaysia-Australia Medical Research Colloquium on 28 29 April 2010, with assistance from Australia’s leading body in medical research, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
It was a very informative, productive Colloquium and the event has helped particpants to explore and engage in future collaborations and also indicated the areas of mutual interest for research as well as expanded networking opportunities.
January 2010
Counsellor (Education) hosts luncheon for education agents in Malaysia
The Counsellor for Education at the Australian High Commission, Ms Louise McSorley hosted a briefing session over lunch for 15 Malaysian education agents at Hotel Maya, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, 20 January. At the lunch cum briefing session, Ms McSorley provided an update on the current Malaysian student numbers and the growth in Australia and in Malaysia, the changes to the Higher Education Reform, the ESOS Amendment Bill 2009 and the Baird Review. The agents also had the opportunity to hear updates from the Senior Trade Commissioner, Mr Paul Martins and the Principal Migration Officer, Ms Maria Psiroukis.
Australian Interns BBQ Night
The Australian Internships and Student Mobility Program is an initiative by the Australian High Commission to see more Australian students undertake an internship at Malaysian organisations. Since the launch of the pilot project, the Mission has seen 20 Australians take up internships in Malaysia. The 20 students have also received an Australian Government Internship valued at A$2,000 each.
On Friday, 29 January, Ms Louise McSorley, Counsellor (Education) hosted a BBQ dinner at the poolside of her residence for interns and their employers. The BBQ in conjunction with Australia Day saw eight Australian students who are undertaking an internship over the Australian summer break. The students are here for an internship duration ranging from 30 to 90 days.
Australian High Commission hosts Swimming WA
The Australian High Commission hosted the Swimming WA (Western Australia) All Stars team who were in Kuala Lumpur from 18 – 22 January 2010 to promote the Indian Ocean All Stars Challenge. During their visit to the High Commission, AEI Malaysia organised a briefing session and morning tea for the group who comprised of swimmers aged 13 – 18 years old and their coaches. The Deputy High Commissioner Mr Craig Chittick was at hand to welcome the team, together with Ms Louise McSorley, Counsellor (Education) and Ms Juliana Nam, First Secretary, provided an interesting insight on her career as a diplomat. The All Stars were based at the1998 Commonwealth Games Athlete Village at Bukit Jalil and participated in training and clinic sessions with Malaysian swimmers and their coaches.
Talkback Classroom
The Talkback Classroom (TBC) program provides an opportunity for students in Australia and around the world to discuss issues with leading decision makers in interviews recorded for broadcast. In Australia, previous guests on the program include government ministers, shadow ministers, the Prime Minister and other community leaders.
Internationally the project has linked students in the USA, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan to work with Australian students to investigate issues of international concern and record interviews with guests such as the New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, the US Ambassador to Malaysia Tom Schieffer, the former UN under secretary general Shashi Tharoor and Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
In 2010, the international forum will bring together Malaysian and Australian students to explore the theme of Education and will culminate in a forum to be recorded at the National Press Club of Australia where the student panel will record an interview with a leading Australia decision maker.
Four students (two Australian and two Malaysian) will make the student team for this year’s forum. As part of their preparation for the forum the four students will participate in a two week investigation or ‘Learning Journey’ in Malaysia and Australia.
Approximately 70 students submitted their expression of interest late last year. On 10 December 2009, the Australian High Commission hosted a briefing and an interview session for these students. Around 40 students attended this briefing and interview session.
The Australian High Commission is pleased to announce the selected two Malaysian students to represent Malaysia in the 2010 Talkback Classroom. They are:
1. Devinia Sunshine Owen Devan from SMK Damansara Utama and
2. Muhamad Farhan bin Khairol Anuar from SMK Sultan Alam Shah, Putrajaya
Congratulations to both Devinia and Farhan! We are confident that they will find their involvement in the project a rewarding educational and life experience.
If you are interested in Talkback Classroom and would like further involvement in the project, you can:
- join and contribute to the ‘Talkback Classroom – Australia Malaysia Forum’ Facebook group
- apply to host a visit of the Talkback team to your school and
- attend our first forum at the Australian High Commission in April (date to be announced)
UiTM Doctor is the First Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award
Dr Jegajeeva Rao from UiTM has been selected as the first recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award 2010. He is the first and only recipient from Malaysia to win a full scholarship amounting to RM630,500 over four years of research and internship in Australia. Read more.