On the eve of the 14th World Chambers Congress, Study Melbourne and Future Forte hosted the Global Talent Forum at the Investment Centre Victoria.

Chaired by former International Student of the Year and Future Forte founder Belle Lim, the session explored how global talent mobility can address skills shortages, strengthen innovation, and drive economic growth.

Michelle Wade, Commissioner for Victoria to South Asia, delivered a keynote address on the strategic value of international students both as employees and as future entrepreneurs. She highlighted their global perspectives, their resilience and risk appetite, and connections to emerging export markets. Michelle concluded with a strong call to action, encouraging attendees to be more proactive by amplifying success stories and by opening their professional networks as graduates and future entrepreneurs navigate their career pathways.

The panel included thought leaders from government, education and industry discussed strategies to build sustainable skills pipelines and shared valuable insights and perspectives.  The forum concluded with insightful stories from alumni Joanna Abraham and Eric Gao who shared their experiences as international students in Victoria, the challenges they faced, and the resilience that helped them succeed.