The Honourable Stephen Dawson Visits Sunway AUSMAT

Sunway College was honoured to host the Honourable Stephen Dawson, the Western Australian Minister for Regional Development, Ports, Science and Innovation; Medical Research; and Kimberley, during his official visit to the Sunway Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT) programme on 25 October 2025. The Minister, who was accompanied by Ms Betty Yang, Western Australia’s Trade Commissioner to Malaysia, made time to meet with AUSMAT students despite his commitments during the recent ASEAN Summit, further underscoring the strong and longstanding ties between AUSMAT and the Western Australian state government.

The visit began with a warm and vibrant welcome as students greeted the Minister in colourful traditional attire, accompanied by an energetic kompang performance. Minister Dawson then delivered a short address, highlighting the importance of strengthening international relationships between Malaysia and Australia, particularly within the education sector, which continues to support global mobility and collaboration.

Following his speech, the Minister met with the AUSMAT JPA and AUSMAT PETRONAS Scholars, engaging in meaningful discussions about their academic pathways and ambitions. He later participated in a dialogue with the AUSMAT Student Council, where students shared how they balance AUSMAT’s fast-tracked academic structure with co-curricular involvement and community-building events. During the conversation, the student leaders also introduced the Minister to various Malaysian delicacies, to which he expressed genuine interest and mentioned his hope to return to Malaysia again for a holiday.

Throughout the visit, Minister Dawson took photographs with the scholars and student leaders that feature the painted wall in the AUSMAT Hub, which is an artwork commissioned by his government that highlights distinctive Australian elements. This visit certainly left students and staff alike feeling grateful for the Minister’s time, interest, and support for the AUSMAT community.