Welcoming home Cambodia’s latest changemakers – Keth Piseth

For the love of education, I’m proud to graduate from the University of Melbourne School of Design with a Master’s degree in Urban Planning.

 

This journey gave me the chance to study something I passionately care about. I strengthened my skills in urban resilience, environmental sustainability, and participatory planning, with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. One of my lecturers once said that people are at the heart of why cities are planned, and I’ve carried that lesson with me ever since. A city is for people; what is a city without people?

 

People say Melbourne is a feeling, and it is true. From winter to spring, spring to summer, and into autumn, I could never do justice to how beautiful it is.

 

I’ll echo every bit of this chapter with me back to Phnom Penh; the strangers I smiled at in the park, sunsets at 9 p.m., the good music I listened to on the train, the books I read but whose titles I forgot, lecture marathons, late-night essay writing, exams, and, indeed, the kind and hard-working Australians I worked with at the Science Gallery Melbourne between classes. I may not always want to admit it, but I even loved studying for exams, because that was when I became fully focused and brought my understanding to the forefront. Urban planning taught me more than how to create beautiful maps or write planning policies. It taught me strategic ways of learning, adapting, and innovating for people and places.

 

I’d like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Dr. Sareh Moosavi, for her guidance and support throughout my thesis journey. I’m also deeply grateful to my friends — Sak, Tou, Yourann, Dane, Mouyleng, Tey, Elae, Eimon, Jessica, Dhia, Risna, Ivan, Kylie, Xiaole, Hannan, Malinda, and Zanne — for making this chapter so meaningful. And of course, a big thank you to tram 57 and the Craigieburn line for getting me home safely each day.

 

Above all, I’m thankful to the Australian Government for this scholarship. It allowed me to grow, learn, and discover more than I ever imagined. I leave Melbourne with beautiful memories, valuable lessons, and great excitement for the future.

 

Master of Urban Planning

The University of Melbourne