CISaustralia

NEW PROGRAM DROPPING SOON 👀

1 New Program. 3 Destinations.

Keep your eyes peeled...

Beyond the Tank: How Marine Volunteers Become Ocean Ambassadors 🌊 🐟

Today is World Oceans Day, with this year’s theme focused entirely on a critical global issue: ending overfishing.

Volunteering on a marine conservation project or participating in research diving offers a unique, front-row seat to the real-world impacts of overfishing. It transforms a distant global challenge into a personal, tangible reality that volunteers can communicate to the world with genuine confidence.

Here is how that firsthand experience on our Marine Conservation and Diving in the Philippines (WIL) program translates into raising awareness for our oceans and driving meaningful change:
1️⃣Witnessing the "Shifting Baseline" Firsthand: Students collect vital data that contributes to long-term monitoring evaluating the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by tracking commercially important fish populations, fish biomass, and reef health.
2️⃣Educating the Community: Season to season students may have opportunities to interact with local communities during outreach events, environmental awareness activities, coastal clean-ups, and community gatherings.
3️⃣Returning home as advocates: Volunteers return home with the knowledge of how MPAs help rebuilding fish populations, supporting food security, and increasing the resilience of coastal communities.

Jason General Manager of the Marine Conservation and Diving in the Philippines program shares:

"While MCP does not directly manage fisheries enforcement, addressing overfishing is one of the key objectives behind our work. Our long-term monitoring program evaluates the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by tracking commercially important fish populations, fish biomass, and reef health.

Well-managed MPAs help replenish fish stocks through the spillover effect, in which fish populations within protected areas grow and contribute to surrounding fishing grounds. This supports both marine biodiversity and the long-term food security of coastal communities.

Following training, participants join our scientific diving teams and typically complete around 12 dives per week while collecting data on fish populations, coral reef health, invertebrates, and MPA effectiveness. This data is used to support local government units and coastal communities in making evidence-based management decisions. Last season, we conducted 1002 surveys."

Find out more about program details here: https://www.cisaustralia.com.au/program/marine-conservation-in-the-philippines/

Academic Insights: UniSQ EduTREAK Cambodia 2025 📝🌏

Why send future teachers to Cambodia? We reached out to Katie Burke and Lisa Ryan from of Southern Queensland - Australia discuss the deep value of the EduTREAK study tour.

Lisa explains that because UniSQ’s Toowoomba and Springfield campuses are located in highly diverse regions, the likelihood for UniSQ preservice teachers to work with large numbers of culturally diverse students is extremely high.

“By working with and alongside Cambodian teachers, they get an appreciation of what life is like for people outside of Australia, the economic hardships people face, and the importance of education in assisting people out of poverty and how valued it is by people.”

For Lisa, the most meaningful part of the program is seeing the "life-changing impact" this experience has on students.

Read the full Q&A in the link in the comments 👇

Florence Session 1 is officially underway! There is truly no better way to take in the city's historic architecture and iconic bridges than from a boat on the Arno River. 🛥️

Fun fact: While 11 bridges span the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio (captured here 👆) is undoubtedly the most famous. This incredible medieval stone bridge was notably the only bridge in Florence not destroyed during World War II. Today, its historic storefronts are occupied by local jewellers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. ✨🎨

It is wonderful to see students enjoying this excursion on our Florence study program!

And that’s a wrap on NAFSA 2026! ✈️

It was an incredible 5 days catching up with our Global Partners and connecting with Learning Abroad professionals from around the world.

Here are a few highlights captured alongside our wonderful partners: Vieri Marotta from Florence University of the Arts (FUA), Noah Goldblatt from Hartwick College, New York, Nobuo Kanda from J.F. Oberlin J.F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Jo Hagerty from University of Stirling, Scotland, Eduardo Lees from the University of Westminster, London, Gina Ralph and Miranda Hewett at University of Roehampton, London and Kyra van Leendert from Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

These photos are reflective of the high energy in the conference hall, being surrounded by people who are deeply passionate about international education and creating incredible global experiences for students!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended Brad’s Community session: "A positive pause - what’s working in the field." It was fantastic to share Learning Abroad insights and updates from an Australian perspective.

Until NAFSA 2027... safe travels to everyone heading home!

From the Gold Coast to Orlando ✈️

Brad and Jane are on their way to Orlando for the NAFSA Association of International Educators Annual Conference!

We are looking forward to a week of learning, staying across the latest industry updates, catching up with our global partners and engaging with industry professionals who share our passion for transformative international education.

Heading to NAFSA? We’d love to see you:
📍 Visit us: Booth 609 (CEA CAPA)
🗣️ Join the Dialogue: Don’t miss Brad’s session, ‘’The Positive Pause: What’s Working in our Field?’’

Safe travels to everyone heading to Orlando, see you there!

🐢 World Turtle Day 🐢

Did you know that in the wild, only 1 sea turtle hatchling out of approximately 1,000 eggs survive to adulthood? Predation and environmental risks make the journey incredibly difficult from the very start.

However, when eggs are protected in managed hatcheries, those odds change dramatically, increasing the survival rate of sea turtles.

This is exactly why our Sea Turtle Conservation program in Costa Rica is so vital. Our students work tirelessly to assist with hatchery nesting, carefully relocating eggs to hatcheries to give them the best possible start at life.

Today, we celebrate these incredible creatures and raise awareness for the threats they face. A huge shoutout to our dedicated students who are committed to boosting sea turtle survival rates and making a huge impact on marine biodiversity!

Celebrating CISaustralia Volunteers and our Global Volunteer Partners! 🌍🙌

We value every single member of our community, but this week is National Volunteer Week, a special time dedicated to recognising and thanking the millions of Australians who generously give their time.

The theme for National Volunteer Week 2026 is ‘Your Year to Volunteer.’ It’s a powerful reminder that honors those who have volunteered, while inspiring others to make a tangible difference this year.

A massive thank you to the 2,000+ Australian university students who have dedicated their time to meaningful CISaustralia volunteer projects, both domestically and globally, over the years.

Your commitment to giving back and passion for sustainable change and cross-cultural learning are incredible to witness. These photos say it all! ✨

We look forward to welcoming the next generation of students onto our projects this year, helping them connect with community leaders, gain fresh global perspectives, and leave a lasting impact.

Education is being reshaped by powerful global forces. From AI and digital transformation to demographic shifts and economic pressures, today’s graduates face a teaching landscape unlike any before.

The OECD’s Trends Shaping Education (2025) highlights how these megatrends are challenging traditional pedagogy and demanding new skills: digital literacy, critical thinking, intercultural competence, and the ability to design inclusive learning experiences.

For education students, international learning experiences are a vital complement to the curriculum. Study abroad programs, overseas teaching placements, and service-learning projects allow students to see how different systems tackle the same challenges, fostering comparative insight and practical problem-solving.

Embedding these global perspectives into the curriculum helps students translate theory into practice, preparing them to be flexible, culturally aware educators ready to meet the needs of diverse classrooms.
In your teaching, how are you leveraging global learning to prepare students for a future shaped by rapid change?

For more Education insights view OECD’s Trends Shaping Education (2025) full report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gqyseDGg

There’s nothing quite like white water rafting on the "mighty" Zambezi. 🌍🚣‍♂️ When you aren't working on your Community Healthcare or Community Development projects the river becomes your backyard.

These are the heart-pumping moments that turn a volunteer program into a lifelong memory. ✨