Melbourne International Student Conference 2014
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, collaboration and innovation will be the focus of the inaugural Melbourne International Student Conference, featuring keynote speakers Malaysian artist-architect “Red” Hong Yi and Mayibuye Cambodia founder Zoe Condliffe, as well as business and HR experts. Find out how you can take part.
The upcoming Melbourne International Student Conference is one worth getting excited about. Taking place over September 27 and 28, the event is shaping up to be a jam-packed weekend featuring dynamic speakers that will open your mind to new possibilities, workshops designed to help you stretch and realise your potential both personally and professionally, and networking opportunities to build meaningful relationships with other like-minded individuals.
The full conference program can be viewed/downloaded via this link, but here are the highlights:
Day 1
Malaysian artist-architect “Red” Hong Yi, a former international student in Melbourne, will be giving the opening keynote. The now world-renown artist, who shot to fame in 2012 after her portrait of Chinese basketballer Yao Ming – painted using only a basketball – went viral, will be sharing her personal journey and addressing the conference’s theme around leaders in the making – how you can become a leader in your community or field of interest.
The Job-Hunting 101 Series will help answer the questions and concerns on every international student’s mind. Telstra’s graduate program manager Senaya Krishnan will be guiding students through the recruitment process and how you should prepare for your first job. Teigan Margetts from Ericsson, who is a passionate advocate for giving international students a fair go in the Australian workplace, will be sharing her experience working with young graduates and how you can use your point of difference to your advantage. Immigration law specialist Jensen Ma will be exploring the options students can take after graduation, and factors you will need to consider if you wish to stay on in Australia.
Following that, find out what it means to “give and take” in a workshop that helps you discover your strengths and weaknesses, and after lunch, choose from some 20 mini workshops at TAG (Teach Anything Good) covering everything from language lessons, pilates and sexual health to resume checking and help for IELTS test takers.
Day 2
Presenting the keynote on day two of the conference is Zoe Condliffe, founder and project manager of Mayibuye Cambodia. Zoe, who was awarded the Anthill Magazine’s 30under30 competition for young entrepreneurs, and named one of The Age Melbourne Magazine’s Top 100 most influential, inspirational, provocative and creative people, will be touching on the new and emerging world of social entrepreneurship, and how businesses can be used for social good and deliver lasting impacts on disadvantaged communities.
Students will also have the chance to connect with young Australians during the Turning Ideas into Reality session. In a collaborative learning environment, students will be challenged to problem solve and come up with innovative solutions to improve international-local student engagement, and pitch to an esteemed panel of judges across not-for-profit, government and business sectors, to win support for their team’s ideas.
Aspiring entrepreneurs won’t want to miss the facilitated panel discussion on Starting Your Own Business, as experienced business owners, social entrepreneurs and business advisors give you the good, bad and ugly of running your own start-up. The same panel will then put young hopefuls through their paces as part of the Young Upstarts business pitch competition, and audiences get to watch with bated breath as they pitch their business case and battle to win a cash prize and mentoring opportunity to bring their idea a step closer to reality.
Meld’s popular Professional Networking Night will also return for a second year, this time at the Melbourne International Student Conference, to give students the opportunity to put their networking skills to practice. You’ll get a chance to mingle and connect with professionals across a range of industries, including commerce, IT, engineering, health, hospitality, media and the arts. Put your best forward and impress, as special guests will be picking outstanding networkers for a one-on-one meet-up over lunch.
The Melbourne International Student Conference will be taking place on September 27 and 28 and is jointly hosted by the City of Melbourne and Meld Magazine. The cost of the conference is $35 and students can register via Eventbrite. Do book early as spaces are limited.
It’s also not too late to join the Young Upstarts business pitch competition. Applications for the business pitch competition are open till September 21, and here’s how you can take part.
