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Ayat is in his first year of computer systems and networking, having arrived in Perth this year. As a refugee kid in Malaysia, he didn’t have the same rights to education and had to study at a refugee school. But he managed to secure a scholarship, which helped him sit the IGCSE.
After waiting for his results to see if he could continue studying, he was awarded the Fugee HiEd Scholarship, which enabled him to study for over a year at a university in Malaysia, but he was still undocumented. He then found Skill Path, a charitable organisation that helps refugees get access to education in Australia.
“Skill Path was looking to find students like us and give us documentation with an opportunity to study–that’s how I arrived here.”
Majid, a second-year computer science student, was also a refugee in Malaysia. Having escaped the genocide in Myanmar, he similarly wasn’t able to attend school with the local people. But when he was given the opportunity to study at university, he didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve always had this dream of continuing my studies and becoming a scientist one day. The opportunity to continue my education reinforced the interest that I already had.”
While they considered a few places to study in Australia, they eventually settled on Curtin for several reasons. Ayat speaks to the university campus and reputation:
“We were looking at the universities that had some global recognition and a vibrant atmosphere.”
Majid, on the other hand, speaks to the living costs:
“We also thought about the affordability in Perth, so we opted for Curtin because of that.”
Majid has been surprised by his Curtin experience as a refugee student. He didn’t expect to be welcomed as openly as he has been.
“We never dreamed of being welcomed in a foreign country, by the university faculty members as well. We never had the chance that someone from a very prestigious university would come to us and say, ‘Welcome to Perth, welcome to Curtin.’”
Ayat has found the learning spaces offered by Curtin to be the most enjoyable aspect of studying at Curtin.
“Abacus Labs, the learning library itself, and the two dedicated labs on engineering technology sites, including one completely for cybersecurity. I love these dedicated spaces for students.”
On support systems for refugee students, Majid has found the Student Welcome Group (SWG), which is part of Skill Path, to be one of the most important for his journey at Curtin.
“If we have any questions or need any help, we drop them a message, and they always come and give us advice or link us to any other communities that we wish to.”
Ayat also notes the support they’ve received from university faculty members. Majid specifically speaks to Marc Stoitis’ support.
“Given his packed schedule, Marc still always offers support to us. He’s very welcoming–he always says that whenever you need me, just come forward, knock on my door.”
Though they have multiple sources of support, studying at Curtin and living in Perth as a refugee hasn’t come without its challenges. World Refugee Day is a day to honour the strength of refugees to overcome their struggles and escape conflict. For Ayat, it’s a way to spotlight his challenges so others can hear them.
“This day is the day when human beings can listen to the stories of refugees, how they are managing their lives, how they are moving forward in their lives. It’s a day when they are heard–refugees can be heard.”
Majid describes World Refugee Day as a way to help people not forget the experiences of refugees.
“World Refugee Day is more like a remembrance day to remember the refugee crisis around the world. It’s very easy to forget, given how human beings are caught up in their own lives. This is a special moment to let everyone see that your struggle isn’t much compared to what other people are going through.”
Ayat shares words of motivation for other refugees considering university:
“No matter what happens, keep moving forward because if you keep moving forward, life gives you opportunities.”
Majid also encourages students to continue studying to help refugee voices be platformed.
“If you have the opportunity to go back to school and continue your studies, please pursue it. Given how things work in the world, if you are not educated enough, you wouldn’t have the actual voice to speak about your circumstances. Harness and show your potential–your status shouldn’t be a barrier to your dreams.”
After graduation, Majid looks forward to becoming a data scientist in bioinformatics, while Ayat is determined to complete his degree as soon as he can so he can start supporting his family and help them gain access to education.
