8th Impact Forum on Australian Education Held in Kathmandu

EDUCAST, The Association of Australian Education Representatives in Nepal (AAERI Nepal) organized the 8th Impact Forum – Australian Education at The Everest Hotel in Kathmandu, bringing together representatives from Australian universities, education institutions, government agencies, education consultants and other stakeholders.

The forum focused on key developments in Australian education, student mobility, visa regulations, agent regulation and strengthening confidence among stakeholders involved in the Nepal–Australia education sector.

The formal program began with welcome remarks and greetings, followed by the national anthems of Nepal and Australia and a video introducing AAERI Nepal.

AAERI Nepal President Mr. Dwiraj Sharma delivered the welcome speech. Ms. Sneha Ghimire, Senior Program and Research Assistant at IIDS, made a presentation on the Nepalese diaspora in Australia. A video message from Mr. Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), was also presented during the program.

A major highlight of the forum was a panel discussion titled “Navigating the New Regime: Australian Student Visas, Nepal’s Agent Regulations and Stakeholder Confidence.” The session was moderated by Mr. Mahesh Babu Timalsina.

The panel featured Ms. Archana Sharma, Director of Admissions at Excelsia University College; Mr. Girish Iyer, Associate Vice-Chancellor, South Asia & MEA, Charles Darwin University; and Mr. Md Imrul Hossain, Country Manager for Bangladesh and Nepal at the University of Southern Queensland.

The discussion addressed recent developments in Australian student visa arrangements, Nepal’s education-agent regulations and the importance of maintaining confidence and transparency among students, education providers, agents and other stakeholders.

The program also featured video messages from Mr. Vik Singh of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and Mr. George Thiveos of the Department of Education.

Mr. Mukesh Dhamala, Regional Director, South Asia, delivered a speech on “Nepal’s Mobility Reset: From Volume to Trust,” highlighting the changing dynamics of international student mobility between Nepal and Australia.

Similarly, Mr. Jay Shrestha delivered special remarks on “The Next Growth Model for Australian Nepal Education.” A video message from Mr. Steven Biddle, Minister Counsellor and Regional Director South Asia at the Department of Home Affairs, was also included in the program.

Mr. Sudarshan Neupane, President of ANAA, addressed the forum regarding the MoU between ANAA and AAERI Nepal. The Chief Guest, His Excellency Simon Ernst, Ambassador of Australia to Nepal, delivered special remarks at the event.

The program also included remarks by Mr. Deepak Bhardwaj, Country Manager – India, followed by a vote of thanks from Mr. Buddhi Sagar Aryal, Vice President of AAERI Nepal.

The forum concluded with a group photo session followed by dinner. The event was supported by NIB, Nabil Bank, Alfa Care Diagnostic Center, IDP and IELTS.

The forum provided a platform for education stakeholders to exchange views on emerging trends, regulatory developments and opportunities for strengthening educational cooperation between Nepal and Australia.