We are delighted to share our journeys as international academics with the HERDSA community. These are individuals born overseas, educated and enculturated in one system of education and currently teaching and researching in another. Did you know that, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 30% (approximately 300,000 people) of staff members in the Australian education sector were born outside Australia in 2019?

Linda and I met virtually through a mentoring program called Mentoring and Coaching Support for Career Advancement Program (MACS), organised by Professor Kogi Naidoo, the current President of HERDSA. We were in the same group and quickly became friends as we share the same identity and language — Linda is from Singapore, and I am from Malaysia. In the mentoring program, we reflected on our identity as international academics. Most importantly, we discussed our barriers, shared opportunities, and strategies, and celebrated our successes.

Barriers as international academics

A significant barrier we both encountered in our careers within the Australian academic environment is the lack of mentorship. Despite being in the teaching and research (T&R) category, receiving good to excellent student evaluations, and meeting all our research targets, we have not had a mentor. This is quite surprising, isn’t it?

We have longed for a mentor—an experienced academic who understands our struggles as female academics as well as international academics, and who could guide and support us in our career pathways. Navigating the complexities of academia, establishing research networks, and developing essential teaching and research skills has been challenging.

Opportunities leverage upon

We were thrilled to be selected for the inaugural Mentoring and Coaching Support for Career Advancement Program (MACS). This program, created by Professor Kogi Naidoo addresses the unique challenges faced by international female academics. Both of us were eager to find mentors who could guide and support us in our professional journeys. We were placed in a group of mentees, predominantly women and international academics, and we were delighted to find our ‘tribe’—a community that understands our challenges and boosts our confidence in our academic careers.

One of the key benefits of MACS is the opportunity to expand our networks significantly. By connecting with mentors and peers from diverse backgrounds and institutions, we gained fresh perspectives, collaborated on research, and built meaningful relationships.

Strategies devised and acted upon

As members of the same group, we had the opportunity to exchange comments and suggestions on our next venture: collaborating as researchers. We began brainstorming by sharing ideas, proposals, and recommendations, focusing on our similarities and how we could complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Eventually, we developed a solid plan to conduct research on the lived experiences of international academics. We were thrilled to find a topic that resonated with both of us. Inspired by the 2024 HERDSA conference, we transformed our research idea into a poster presentation, bringing our vision to life.

Celebrations of success

We had the honour of presenting at the 2024 HERDSA Conference in Adelaide as poster presenters, where we were thrilled to win the Runner-Up Best Onsite Poster award for our poster titled “International Academics: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know.”

Our presentation garnered significant interest from many delegates, who expressed a keen desire to collaborate on our project. Inspired by this enthusiasm, we decided to establish the International Academic Special Interest Group (SIG) within HERDSA.

Blog Authors:

- Dr Jasvir Kaur Nachatar Singh, La Trobe University
- Associate Professor Linda Ng, University of Southern Queensland