Australia Awards South and West Asia

Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia is proud to announce the new cohort of Scholar Ambassadors for 2026–2027.

The Scholar Ambassador program was established in 2025 to recognise and empower outstanding scholars who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership qualities, and a commitment to fostering a strong and inclusive community for Australia Awards scholars.

The program’s inaugural cohort of 10 scholars was selected in July 2025. Scholar Ambassadors receive training and gain practical experience in collaborating with the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia team and giving support to students.

Scholar Ambassadors play a vital role in:

• helping the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia team to coordinate events in their state or territory
• initiating and delivering enrichment activities and networking opportunities for other scholars
• sharing their stories online through official channels and social media
• engaging with other scholars and obtaining feedback about their experiences and challenges.

This year, 11 scholars were selected as Scholar Ambassadors through a competitive process. This process consisted of two rounds: a written application submission and an online interview. Successful applicants participated in a two-day in-person training held in Adelaide on 6 and 7 July. This training covered key areas such as team building; leadership and communication; gender equality, disability and social inclusion; safeguarding; and event management.

Several of the newly appointed Scholar Ambassadors have commented on their Scholarship journey so far and what they hope to achieve as Ambassadors.

Tamanna Jyoti from Bangladesh said, “I have spent most of my career in public service, where work only counts if it actually reaches people. Becoming a Scholar Ambassador lets me continue that here in Australia—listening to fellow scholars, understanding what they need and acting on it. It is the same principle that drew me to data science: Decisions work best when they are grounded in what people actually experience, not what we assume.” Tamanna is currently studying a Master of Data Science at Monash University.

Scholar Ambassador Tamanna from Bangladesh.

Mariyam Nuhaa from Maldives, who is studying a Master of Social Work at the University of Queensland, said, “The most inspiring part of the training was meeting scholars from across South Asia and Mongolia who have already contributed so much to their countries. Despite our different backgrounds, I was amazed by how similar our aspirations are and how much we can learn from one another. It reinforced for me that meaningful connections are at the heart of creating positive change, and I look forward to building those connections throughout my journey as a Scholar Ambassador.”

Scholar Ambassador Mariyam from Maldives.

Tuvshinbagana Munkhjargal from Mongolia added that “the training reinforced the value of leadership, collaboration and effective communication in creating positive change”. Tuvshinbagana is pursuing a Master of Environmental Management and Development at the Australian National University.

Scholar Ambassador Tuvshinbagana from Mongolia.

Musa Hassan Syed from Pakistan said, “The Scholar Ambassador program is an energy booster. It pushes you to grow beyond academics and challenges you to step into your leadership potential. The training highlighted the power of shared stories and made me realise how leading with empathy and purpose can positively shape the experiences of others. With my fellow Ambassadors, I hope to create spaces where scholars feel supported, connected and inspired.” Musa is studying a Master of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Western Australia.

Scholar Ambassador Musa from Pakistan.

Aarati Sunar from Nepal, who’s studying a Master of Sustainable Development at Flinders University, said that she was “excited to share experiences and learn from fellow scholars”, a sentiment also shared by Bhagya Batugedara from Sri Lanka, who said that he hopes to “help create an inclusive, supportive environment for Australia Awards scholars, where they feel connected and empowered”. Bhagya is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

Scholar Ambassadors Aarati from Nepal (second from left) and Bhagya from Sri Lanka (right) pictured interacting with other Scholar Ambassadors.

Scholar Ambassadors represent scholars’ voices, providing feedback to enhance engagement and improve the Scholarship experience. The role of each Ambassador is to contribute to cultivating a sense of belonging, inspiring their peers and helping them to enrich their Scholarship journey.

Meet the rest of the Scholar Ambassadors here.