I feel deeply grateful and grounded as I prepare to graduate and return home. The Australia Awards Scholarships made my long-held dream of pursuing higher education possible and offered me far more than a degree. Living and studying in Australia allowed me to grow well beyond the classroom. Brisbane became a place where I felt welcomed and supported and where I learned to think more critically, communicate across cultures, and become more confident and independent. Leaving Australia feels bittersweet, but this journey has shaped both how I think and who I’m becoming.
I’ll miss my Brissie mates the most. Together, we created a space where we felt supported, understood, and encouraged to grow.
They were my study buddies, my emotional support on difficult days, my travel companions, and my safe space. I’ll deeply miss them and the memories we created together, even as we move forward on different paths.
One defining experience during my time in Australia was learning how to translate my professional and lived experience into structured academic thinking.
Coming from a practice-based background, I initially believed that experience alone was enough to communicate ideas and drive change. Through coursework, feedback, and many discussions during my studies, I learned that impact also depends on how ideas are framed, tested, and supported by evidence.
This shift was challenging but transformative. It strengthened my ability to think critically, articulate ideas with clarity, and connect practice with theory. Most importantly, it changed how I approach problem-solving and leadership, a foundation that continues to shape my work.
The most important learning I’ll bring back is a new way of thinking shaped by design thinking, empathy, and the lean startup mindset. I learned to listen more deeply, test assumptions early, and design solutions grounded in real needs.
This approach has reshaped how I understand innovation and leadership, and it’ll guide how I design inclusive and practical initiatives in Cambodia.
After considering several opportunities, I chose to accept a role with UN Women Cambodia on the Gender Action Lab project, funded by DFAT. This role feels like a natural continuation of both my personal values and my learning journey.
I was drawn to its use of design thinking and innovative approaches that move beyond traditional project management. It allows me to bring together my professional background, my commitment to supporting women and disadvantaged groups, and the new ways of thinking I developed during my studies in Australia, and to apply them meaningfully from the beginning.
Please connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shouly-chann-707408103/
Chann Shouly
Master’s degree of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEI)
University of Queensland
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