Speeches
Tuesday, 14 April 2026
International Pathway Providers Appreciation Luncheon
I am delighted to be back in China, a nation with which Australia shares a deep and enduring commitment to education, collaboration and opportunity.
As Australia’s former Ambassador to China, and now as Governor of South Australia, I know that higher education has long been a bridge between our countries – in 2025 Australia celebrated 100 years of welcoming Chinese students to Australian universities.
Pathway provider programs for international students lie at the heart of this connection.
Your organisations have played a vital role in Australia’s expanding higher education sector by widening access to university study.
Your programs ensure the opportunity to study abroad is a possibility for students from all walks of life.
Pathway programs support students to realise their academic aspirations, particularly those whose journeys into higher education may not have been straightforward.
Pathway programs provide inclusive and flexible entry points for students from diverse backgrounds and reflect a shared belief that potential should be recognised, nurtured, and given every chance to flourish.
Equally important is the role these programs play to help students transition confidently into higher education.
The programs open multiple opportunities for progression, enabling students to pursue both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
They provide access to a world-class international education that prepares graduates to contribute meaningfully in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Australia’s newest Group of Eight university, Adelaide University, is demonstrating that excellence and equality can, and do, go hand in hand.
This new university will be critical to South Australia’s future growth and prosperity.
Its activities and impact are making our State more competitive, as well as building its capacity in international education, skills development and research.
Global Student Recruitment teams will play an instrumental role in this success.
In today’s global and volatile world, where we all share many similar challenges, enhancing opportunities for global learning and education across cultures and nations has probably never been more important.
I am confident that our shared commitment to collaboration, innovation and student success will continue to strengthen these ties for decades to come.
Together, we are not only shaping educational pathways, we are shaping lives, communities, and our shared future.
I thank you.