A recent business trip to Mongolia turned out to be anything but average for Matt Monkhouse, Macquarie International Regional Manager (Asia). Whilst on a routine visit to the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, Matt was approached through industry connections and asked to be interviewed by UBS (Ulaanbaatar Broadcasting System) for Coffee Time, Ulaanbaatar’s equivalent to Sunrise or Today.

The live 40-minute interview focused on Australia/Mongolia international relations, higher education in Australia and opportunities for Mongolians to study in Australia and at Macquarie University.

“Mongolia is continuing to emerge as a developing democracy with one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,” said Matt. “The country  is increasing its engagement with Australia on a number of levels and across a variety of industries; education being one of these.”

The Australia Awards program (in Mongolia) now provides funding for 48 Australia Award Scholarships; fully funding 48 Mongolian nationals per year to study at Australian universities.  Australia also operates an Austrade office in Mongolia (with a dedicated Education Manager) within the Australian Consulate-General in Ulaanbaatar.

Ulaanbaatar is recognised as the coldest capital city on Earth, so alongside the more serious questions, Matt’s hosts were also interested in what life in Australia would be like for Mongolian students, and how Mongolia differed to Australia culturally and environmentally.

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