Australia Awards South and West Asia

Aishath Rishmee from Maldives completed a Master of Public Health at Flinders University in 2025, with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship.

In the following video recorded just prior to completing her degree, Aishath discusses her experiences as an Australia Awards scholar.

“Studying in Australia was a very rewarding experience for me,” Aishath says. “The Australia Awards Scholarship really helped me to better understand the regional and global landscape.” It put her in a better position to understand issues such as noncommunicable diseases, aging population demographics and health system resilience—issues that will only continue to grow in relevance and importance for Maldives.

According to UNICEF, Maldives has made great strides in some health areas. It has sustained a very high percentage of universal childhood immunisation coverage, and has successfully eliminated diseases such as malaria, measles and polio. But following this success in addressing infectious diseases, the spotlight has shifted to health hazards posed by noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, malnutrition for children, and anaemia for women and girls.

Aishath (middle) pictured with DFAT’s State Director for South Australia, Jill Collins (left), and fellow Australia Awards scholar from Maldives, Muawiyath (Muthu) M. Didi, at the 2023 Scholars Symposium in Adelaide.

These are the factors that prompted Aishath to apply for her Australia Awards Scholarship. “I’m really looking forward to [contributing] to the Maldivian health system and [using] the knowledge that I have gained here in Australia,” she says.

She is enthusiastic about the learning environment in Australia. “The style of teaching is more interactive and discussion-based,” she says, comparing it to what she has previously experienced. “There’s a lot of emphasis on independent learning, and the lecturers in Australia encourage you to question and then reflect on your own learnings and practice.”

In addition, she says, “There was also a lot of focus on practical skills and critical thinking skills.” She identifies the latter as an area in which she was lacking before coming to Australia. “It helped me grow both professionally and personally.”

Her studies were supported by professional development opportunities offered through Australia Awards, including the 2023 Scholars Symposium in Adelaide which featured a keynote address from Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, South Australia’s Governor and the former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Aishath networks with other participants at the 2023 Scholars Symposium in Adelaide.

It wasn’t always easy. “The [academic] standards are very high in Australian universities,” she says. But she didn’t have to do it alone. “The Australia Awards team was very supportive,” Aishath says, noting that she found the regular communication from Australia Awards and Flinders University to be “very useful”. She is thankful for the support from all corners: her lecturers, the program staff and the international support team at Flinders.

One aspect in particular that helped Aishath was the Introductory Academic Program (a compulsory four-to-six-week program that Australia Awards scholars must complete before beginning their degree). It covers information on living and studying in Australia, and is designed by each educational institution to prepare scholars for the work that is required to gain an Australian tertiary qualification. Aishath received her Scholarship after having been away from university study for some time, and says she found the program “very, very helpful” as she re-entered the academic world. It also included lots of practical advice to help her adjust to social and cultural life in Australia.

“What I really love about Australia, it has a very balanced lifestyle,” she observes. “It is not very fast paced, which is one thing that I really love. Especially in Adelaide, it is very calm, with community places and parks.” Australia’s people, too, have made a strong impression on Aishath. “I also found that the people in Australia were very respectful and supportive,” she says.

Aishath (back row, middle) pictured interacting with other Australia Awards scholars and staff at the 2024 End of Year Celebration event in Adelaide.

Another factor that helped Aishath find her feet in Australia was that the Scholarship supported her family to accompany her. “My family was with me in Australia. We also have a Maldivian community here,” she says. On the weekends and in the evenings when she wasn’t working on an assignment, she spent time with them.

“The Australia Awards Scholarship was a wonderful experience,” Aishath says. “It was a transformative journey, and I met many very wonderful people along the way.” In fact, when asked if she has a favourite memory of her time in Australia, she quickly declares that “it’s not just one”—the entirety of the two years she spent studying in Australia are her favourite memories.

Unsurprisingly, Aishath does not hesitate to recommend the Australia Awards Scholarship to prospective applicants from Maldives. “Go for it,” she says. “It is a good experience. You get to study in prestigious universities in Australia … You get to learn from a lot of experts in the field, so just have a plan and then think of how you would impart that knowledge and help the Maldivian community.”