In a time of shifting alliances and intensifying regional challenges, the New Colombo Plan stands out among Australia’s foreign policy initiatives for its investment in long-term human capital. Launched in 2014 to deepen Australia’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific through educational exchange, the Plan has since enabled over 50,000 Australian undergraduates to study, intern, and build professional networks across more than 40 countries. At a recent alumni panel hosted by the Australian Institute of International Affairs Queensland (AIIAQ), four NCP participants reflected on their journeys and how their experiences abroad have shaped their understanding of Australia’s regional future.
The discussion brought together voices from diverse disciplines, geographies, and life paths, each offering a distinct perspective on how education, diplomacy, and personal transformation intersect in the Indo-Pacific. Moderator Jeremy Kye, a law student at the University of Queensland who completed a legal internship in Thailand, formally initiated the discussion by highlighting the NCP’s vision of cultivating a generation of globally engaged Australians. His panellists, Crystal Paris, a senior consultant at PwC who studied in Japan; Lara Tribel, a Bachelor of Education student who volunteered in the Solomon Islands; and Dominic De Moura McCarthy, co-CEO of the Pacific Australia Youth Association and former NCP scholar in New Caledonia and French Polynesia, shared stories of both challenges and opportunities during their time abroad.
Dominic, a 2020 New Colombo Plan scholar, discussed his decision to study business in New Caledonia and intern at the Australian Consulate General, attributing it to both his personal experiences and the region’s history. Growing up in Mackay, Queensland, home to one of the largest South Sea Islander communities in Australia, he was acutely aware of the Pacific’s connection to his hometown, including the legacy of blackbirding, a 19th-century practice in which Pacific Islanders were forcibly or deceptively recruited to work on plantations in Australia. His decision to study in New Caledonia was intentional, reflecting his desire to engage more deeply with a region that is often underrepresented in Australian international education. As he reflected, the Pacific is not only part of Australia’s shared history but also an enduring part of its future.
Crystal, whose mobility program took her to Tokyo, spoke from the perspective of a long-standing cultural connection. Having studied Japanese since the age of six, she saw her time abroad not merely as an academic pursuit, but as a continuation of her deep engagement with the Japanese language and society. However, complete immersion brought unexpected challenges. Living in the suburbs of Tokyo, where “not a drop of English” was spoken, she had to rely entirely on her Japanese, despite feeling rusty at first. It was also her first time living away from home. “It was overwhelming,” she recalled, “but being out of my comfort zone helped me grow.” Her studies and exposure to diplomatic events now inform her work at a global consulting firm. For her, understanding cultural nuances is more than helpful; it has become essential to navigating international professional environments.
For Lara, who travelled to the Solomon Islands through a community engagement program organised by her university, the impact of the NCP experience was felt most meaningfully in the classroom. As a student teacher in Honiara, she lived in a women’s refuge without air conditioning, an immersion that brought her closer to the everyday realities of Pacific communities. Despite the physical challenges, she described the experience as transformative, deepening her understanding of the importance of culturally responsive teaching. “I learnt why it’s important to not only value my own culture in the classroom, but also value every student’s culture,” she reflected. Since returning to Australia, this insight has continued to shape her approach to inclusive education.
While the panellists’ academic and cultural journeys were diverse, they all converged on a shared insight: that living and learning in another country fosters a resilience and adaptability that traditional education rarely provides. Whether navigating Japan’s strict attendance requirements, adjusting to “island time” in the Solomons, or balancing language immersion with academic rigour in New Caledonia, each speaker emphasised how their experience stretched them both professionally and personally. For Dominic, living near squatter settlements on the outskirts of Nouméa and feeling socially isolated despite his fluency in French, made connecting difficult at first. Yet ballet classes and church visits became unexpected pathways to belonging. As he reflected, building friendships abroad isn’t always easy, but sometimes, shared passions can bridge even the widest cultural gaps.
As the conversation deepened, attention turned to the alumni network itself, a vast and growing constellation of NCP scholars now active across various sectors, countries, and institutions. Each panellist emphasised that the value of the NCP doesn’t end when participants return to Australia; it endures through lifelong networks, professional collaborations, and new leadership opportunities. Dominic, for example, founded the Pacific Australia Youth Association (PAYA), now connecting over 300 young leaders across 12 Pacific Island nations. Crystal, while not directly involved in foreign affairs, serves as a youth advisor to the U.S. Embassy in Australia, an opportunity shaped by her broader global engagement. After returning from Honiara, Lara collaborated with Rotary Australia to raise awareness of educational needs in the region. She remained connected to efforts that supported curriculum development at the schools where she once taught.
This idea, that regional relationships are built not only between governments but also between individuals, lies at the heart of the final discussion: how NCP has shaped each speaker’s understanding of Australia’s role in the Indo-Pacific. Their reflections revealed not just academic or cultural insights, but also a renewed sense of connection to the region and clarity about Australia’s shared future in the Indo-Pacific. For Dominic, the Pacific is no longer an abstract region—it is a living community, one he feels bound to by history and by choice. For Crystal, the mutual respect and strategic cooperation between Australia and Japan became clearer through lived experience. For Lara, her time in the Solomon Islands inspired her to pursue teaching placements in remote Indigenous communities in Cape York, where she saw continuity in the challenges and strengths of both contexts.
In closing, the most decisive message came from the alumni themselves, who articulated a forward-looking vision for regional engagement. Dominic emphasised that NCP recipients have a responsibility to give back by creating initiatives that outlast their time abroad. Projects like the Pacific Australia Youth Association (PAYA) and youth-led bilateral forums, such as the Australia–Japan Youth Dialogue, are not only platforms for conversation but also vehicles for lasting regional influence. Crystal echoed this sentiment, observing that alumni should act as ambassadors not just overseas, but at home, mentoring peers, encouraging new applicants, and shaping the next generation of globally engaged Australians. Lara added that storytelling itself is a form of diplomacy. As she reflected, sharing one’s journey, openly, vulnerably, and with pride, can foster empathy and trust across borders.
The New Colombo Plan may have started as a foreign policy initiative. However, as this workshop revealed, its legacy is being created every day by its alumni, not in white papers or communiqués, but in classrooms, community halls, embassies, and workplaces. It is in the quiet power of lived experience that Australia’s Indo-Pacific future is genuinely being shaped.
Edited by Deborah Bouchez
Written by Kiseki Fujisawa
Currently, in her final year of a Juris Doctor at Griffith University, Kiseki Fujisawa is passionate about international law and global affairs. With a strong interest in the intersection of law and diplomacy, Kiseki aspires to promote justice and peace worldwide through legal and diplomatic efforts.
