It was 40 years ago that international students first started in Australian universities as fee paying students. This was the start of a new era that would see Australia attract bright minds from around the world to our shores to gain a quality education.
While some graduates build their lives in Australia, most international students return to their home countries, taking with them global skills, perspectives, and lifelong connections that continue to benefit Australia and the wider world.
One of those bright minds is Melina Chan, now Head of Marketing Automation, Southeast Asia at IDP Education. Having studied in Australia in the 1990s, Melina is now back in Singapore, yet her career, leadership, and ongoing ties to Australia reflect the lasting value of international education well beyond graduation or geography.
A fresh start through international study
Melina’s journey to Australia began in 1994, when she moved to Perth to complete Year 12 at Beaufort College, seeking both academic opportunity and personal reset.
“I decided to study overseas because I felt I needed a fresh environment where I could reset, grow, and discover my own direction,” she says.
“At that time, I was facing some family challenges and wasn’t performing my best in secondary school, so going abroad gave me the space to focus on my development without distractions. I hoped to gain independence, broaden my perspectives, and challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone, and that experience shaped a lot of who I am today.”
Finding belonging and confidence
Arriving in Australia, Melina was surprised by how quickly she settled in.
“Even though I lived in a boarding school on campus, settling in was easier than I expected. Being in a private school environment helped too, the classes were smaller, the teachers were approachable, and the routine felt familiar very quickly. I also didn’t expect to make other Asian friends so easily, but people were warm and welcoming, which helped me adapt and feel at home much faster than I imagined.”
That sense of belonging translated into academic confidence, something that was transformative for Melina.
The right environment unlocks potential
By the end of secondary school, Melina achieved results that exceeded her own expectations.
“I ended up performing much better academically than I ever had in Singapore,” she says.
Her strong tertiary entrance scores qualified her for every university course she had shortlisted, a moment that reshaped how she saw her own potential.
“That experience showed me that the right environment can bring out your strengths in unexpected ways,” she says.
She went on to study a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at Curtin University of Technology, joining the inaugural cohort between 1995 and 1997.
Resilience that lasts beyond graduation
Graduating during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 brought uncertainty, but Melina found herself unusually well prepared.
“Looking back, that period really shaped my career mindset. My international education had already taught me to be independent, manage my finances, and adapt quickly, so even during that difficult time, I felt equipped to navigate uncertainty,” she says.
“My first role ended up being a remote position, which was uncommon back then, and I was able to succeed because studying overseas had already trained me to work autonomously, stay disciplined, and solve problems on my own. Those early experiences gave me a head start in developing the resilience and self‑management skills that have continued to guide me throughout my career.”
Returning home, contributing globally
Like many international students, Melina eventually returned home. But returning did not mean disengaging.
“Because I had already lived and learned abroad, taking on overseas opportunities felt like a natural next step,” she says.
Her career has included a two-year posting in Hong Kong before she ultimately returned to Singapore, where she now leads regional marketing automation across Southeast Asia for IDP.
Through her role at IDP, Melina remains closely connected to Australia, working across markets to support students on the same international education pathways that first brought her to Perth, and contributing to Australia’s global education engagement from the region.
The value international alumni bring
Melina is clear about what international graduates contribute, wherever they are based.
“Navigating new environments has taught me to think critically, adapt quickly, and speak up with ideas that can improve processes or outcomes,” she says, “I contribute resilience, independence, and a proactive approach to problem-solving, which helps teams innovate and work more effectively.”
As international education marks four decades of impact, Melina’s story illustrates a powerful legacy: students may return home, but the global mindset they develop, combined with local insight, creates impact that extends across borders.