Announcement from the MGA President

September 2024: Navigating change together

As we've passed the midpoint of this semester, I felt it was important to reach out and reflect on the past three months of my term as President of the MGA.

Having been a student at Monash since 2016, change and transition have been constant companions throughout my journey - from starting my Bachelor’s degree, navigating the pandemic during my Honours research and now nearing the completion of my PhD on organisational change.

However, many students, including myself, seem to feel that the currents of change are more intense than ever. The need to chart our way toward a better future amidst these shifting tides has never been more urgent, given the challenges that demand our collective resilience.

One of these challenges is the Australian Federal Government’s proposed legislation allowing for the imposition of international student caps. This represents a fundamental shift in the landscape of our tertiary education sector, and the MGA is deeply concerned about the potential consequences of this. As a community that thrives on diversity and inclusion, we are worried about the impacts this change may have on opportunities for all students, both now and in the future. I have personally benefited from the diversity of our student community since moving here from regional Victoria on a scholarship in 2016. Our campus has as many nationalities as it has rooms, and this is a richness of diversity we must protect. The proposed legislation places this at risk. The MGA will continue to advocate for policies that recognise the significant contributions international students make to our communities, and we remain dedicated to supporting our students in any way possible.

On an equally important note, we cannot ignore the turbulence caused by violence and unrest overseas. Many of our students have reached out to me, sharing concerns about events happening in their home countries and abroad. We are part of a global university, and while the MGA represents Monash graduate students here in Australia, we acknowledge that many of us call elsewhere home. The MGA condemns all forms of violence and harm, and we stand with students who are deeply affected by these events. Our support remains unwavering, and we encourage any student with concerns to access the mental health and wellbeing resources available at Monash University.

On a local front, I wanted to highlight a fantastic opportunity for our HDR students: the Doctoral Program Review student consultations, which is now entering its next phase. Now we have a comprehensive analysis of the feedback, we will move into running focus groups to seek further direction. To those who have expressed interest in participating, your feedback will help guide University leadership to ensure that the Doctoral Program continues to meet the needs of future students and better serves our research community. It is my hope that our Doctoral Program at Monash University changes for the better, and I’m looking forward to working with our graduate students and our university leadership as we advocate for improvements. 

Finally, I hope that you have a safe mid-semester break and find the time to rest and recover for the second half of semester ahead. Our Executive Committee at the MGA are busy working on core strategies to improve our graduate student outcomes, so watch this space! Together, we will continue to adapt to these changing currents, face challenges with strength, and move forward with compassion. I look forward to what the rest of the semester will bring and am committed to supporting our community every step of the way.
 

Jonathan Robberts
President, MGA 2024/2025