When it comes to university education, Australia has a stellar global reputation. In a recent highly-respected evaluation of how well countries are equipped to meet the demands of the international job market, Australia ranked an impressive 98.9 out of 100 in Academic Readiness, a perfect 100 in Workforce Readiness, and took out fourth spot overall globally (the UK, US and Germany just pipped us at the post).
This is certainly encouraging news for Aussie graduates, with our tertiary institutions excelling when it comes to preparing students for work on the world stage. Let’s take a closer look at how Aussie universities are doing this by highlighting key initiatives, such as international exchanges, industry-focused curricula and career services.
5 Ways Australian Universities Are Prepping Students for Global Careers
Aussie universities understand that for their students to truly succeed, they need to do more than just tick course material boxes. Unis have to play an active part in preparing them for a global career; it’s what the modern working world demands.
Here are five key ways Australian tertiary institutions rise to meet this call.
1. International Study and Exchange Programs
One of the best ways to fully prepare to work as a global citizen is to immerse yourself in a new country and culture. Aussie unis excel in this area, offering their students a range of overseas exchange options.
First, there is the most well-known of the group; the global exchange program where Australian students travel overseas to study at a partner university. It’s proper cultural immersion, allowing you to both live and study in a new country. It’s a popular option with nearly one in four Australian undergraduate students participating in an international experience over the course of their degree. It’s probably not surprising given 76% of Aussie uni students feel the opportunity to study abroad enhances their employability and graduate outcomes.
Examples of exchange programs include The University of Melbourne with over 200 exchange partners, allowing you to study abroad for up to two semesters. If you’re after even more country options, The University of Sydney has Australia’s largest exchange mobility program; it equates to 400+ global experiences. If Europe is your thing, the Erasmus+ program is worth looking at. In addition to traditional exchanges, they also offer ‘blended mobility’ – a combination of physical mobility (short-term stays abroad) and virtual components (online learning or collaboration). It’s great for those who want to gain international education experience but may have financial, logistical or personal constraints.
Internships take things a little further, giving you the chance to gain on-the-job experience overseas. With Asia being Australia’s closest neighbour, it’s not surprising many of these opportunities are in countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Vietnam.
The New Colombo Plan, an initiative of the Australian government has elements of both exchange and internship. It aims to ‘lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates’ via study, language training and internships. It can last up to a year with two streams: the scholarship and the mobility program.
2. Industry-Focused Curricula and Skills Development
An overseas exchange isn’t on the cards for everyone. That’s why most major Aussie tertiary providers integrate real-world applications into their curricula.
Most universities across Australia offer work integrated learning. This is where global companies and major industry bodies partner with educational providers to design curricula that match current business needs. Monash University is perhaps a pioneer in this space, with many of their courses giving students the chance to directly work with multinational companies to solve everyday challenges.
Australia is also a world leader in skills development, particularly in STEM education. For example, 22 Australian institutions are ranked in the world’s top 500 universities for Computer Science. When you consider we only have 38 universities overall, that’s a pretty impressive figure.
3. Career Services Ensuring Global Job Market Readiness
Career centres within Australian universities play a crucial role in preparing their students for the global world of work. There are a variety of ways they support them:
- International career fairs – These are important (and often big!) events that give students the chance to benefit from a wealth of information about working overseas, often directly from employers. One example is last year’s ANU International Careers in Focus. It had a raft of employer presentations, panel events, career skills workshops, in addition to the actual fair.
- Career development – One of the major services of university careers centres is offering workshops to help students enhance their employability and refine their job search skills. This can include helping them research industries, organisations and opportunities, as well as support in tailoring their CVs and applications for various job markets, including internationally.
4. Encouraging Entrepreneurship and Global Startups
If you have an entrepreneur’s heart, Australian universities have you covered. Almost all of the major tertiary institutions offer student entrepreneurship programs and startup incubators to nurture innovative thinking; some do it through mentorship, some through funding, and some have a little of both.
A notable is Ventures, a program designed and run by The University of Queensland to foster their student ‘entrepreneurial ecosystem’. To date, they have had over 30,000 students benefit from entrepreneurial activities run by the program, with over 300 directly participating in Startup AdVenture abroad.
The Startup AdVenture program involves four-week learning placements in innovation hubs like Singapore and Shanghai. They run during semester breaks and provide students with hands-on experience, as well as insights into what startup life is like from entrepreneurs and innovators.
5. Alumni Networks & Mentorship for International Careers
Australian universities are known for their strong and comprehensive alumni networks. Each one offers invaluable resources to current and graduating students, from webinars and seminars showcasing the overseas alumni experience, to mentorship programs that guide graduates as they navigate the sometimes choppy waters of the global workforce. These networks extend far beyond Australia’s borders, with active chapters in major cities worldwide.
Universities, such as La Trobe and the University of Adelaide, provide international mentoring opportunities, connecting Australian-based students with alumni working globally. Others like UNSW and The University of Melbourne host regular networking events, panel discussions, and even annual galas in international hubs like Singapore, Malaysia, and the UK.
The Australia Global Alumni network is government-run and serves as a virtual platform for over 2.5 million international students who have studied in Australia, but is also open to Aussies who have studied overseas. It has a vast array of resources and is a great place for professional development and networking opportunities both while you’re overseas, and when you’re back on home soil.
Combined, these networks not only facilitate social connections but are ideal ways to further your career with access to industry insights, and even learn about potential business partnerships in foreign markets.
The Key Skills You Needed for a Global Career
It’s clear that working abroad for global companies can set you up for a highly successful career back home Down Under. While you’ll get exposure to diverse business practices and cultures, it will also enhance your personal skills in the areas of adaptability, resilience and problem solving. And these are pretty important areas; the QS Global Employer Survey 2024 reveals employers are prioritising these skills – ones they say current graduates lack – over technical skills and academic achievements when hiring.
If you choose to take up an overseas work or study placement, there’s a suite of additional capabilities you’ll be able to hone. Any one of these could be the thing that places ahead of other candidates when trying to secure a graduate position.
You might develop the advantage of foreign language proficiency, or knowing how to communicate cross-culturally (a super important skill in Australia’s multicultural diaspora). Perhaps you’ll gain a diversity of experience in digital or financial literacy thanks to exposure to different systems, or side of project management prowess (working at a global company usually involves managing complex tasks across different time zones and cultural contexts). The global networks you build will also be invaluable – whether student or work based. You just never know how you can leverage those to land your first role out of university.
Playing Your Part Role Landing An Overseas Placement
It’s pretty clear Australian universities are playing a proactive role in ensuring their graduates are well-equipped to thrive in the global job market. From comprehensive international study and work exchanges, to industry-focused curricula and career services to help with global job market readiness, these institutions are setting graduates like yourself up for success in the business arena.
Whether you’re a soon-to-be-graduate or have just started your university journey, a fulfilling global career is within your reach, but requires some tenacity on your part. Search out the resources your uni offers as early on as possible. Aim to understand not only the exchange and internship options you have, but the eligibility requirements, especially as some have early-year application dates. Connect with careers centres, join relevant networks, and speak to returned students who’ve done what you want to do.
Now more than ever, you have an exciting opportunity to grasp experience in so many corners of this big world. Your Aussie university is right there to help you.
FAQs
Which Australian universities offer the best international career programs?
Leading institutions that have the most comprehensive international exchange and internship programs include, the University of Sydney, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Queensland.
How can Australian students find global internship opportunities?
Your first port of call should be your university’s career centre. They’re a little like a one-stop-shop of resources about opportunities abroad. Other avenues are dedicated online platforms such as Go Overseas or AIFS Abroad; industry associations; and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.
Do Australian universities support students seeking jobs abroad?
They sure do and in many different ways. There’s in-curricular support through work integrated learning programs with global companies. Career centres that not only provide information about overseas opportunities but can support you in the application process, not to mention further on when it’s time to get a job, be it local or international. Many unis also have regular networking events and fairs specifically tailored for international roles.
What skills do Australian graduates need to work internationally?
An open mind is a great starting point. But skills such as adaptability, good communication and resilience are also really important.
What are the best industries for Australian students seeking global careers?
In-demand sectors include technology (AI, digital transformation, data analysis), healthcare, green energy and entrepreneurship.