Ameer Sobhan
Course: Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences), 2014
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Current role: Program Management Senior Analyst, UNOPS
Please tell us about your role in your current organisation.
I am working in the regional office of UNOPS in Bangkok. As a member of the Regional Director's team, I further efforts to position UNOPS as a leading partner in infrastructure, program management, and other speciality areas. I am also deployed on missions to provide strategy development and communication support across Asia.
Why did you choose Monash?
Ever since the global financial crisis of 2008, the world has seen the emergence of Asia on an unprecedented scale. I knew right out of high school that I wanted to get a degree that would provide me with a grounding in international relations but I also wanted my education to reflect a global worldview that reflected Asian values. The courses available at the School of Arts and Social Sciences matched that stencil I had in mind and made my decision to attend Monash Malaysia an easy one.
What/who influenced your decision?
Monash Malaysia provides an innovative blend of a western, Australian-based education that is partly characterised by strong Asian influences. Given the globalised world we live in today, it is important to obtain such a composite perspective on things to best utilise the opportunities that are out there today. Ultimately, that was key in my decision to enrol here.
Describe your study experience at Monash Malaysia.
Monash Malaysia exceeded all the expectations I had in terms of my education. Not only were my teachers extremely well-versed in their fields, but they were also surprisingly approachable, understanding and appreciative of the different backgrounds of students that Monash tends to attract. In addition to being my mentors, many of them also became my friends and confidants. My relationships with them not only encouraged me to do well in classes but also significantly enriched my time at Monash.
Monash is also an educational partner of some of the leading universities in the world. This allowed me to spend a semester abroad at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the United States’ best-known universities. I had always wanted to study American politics and Roman history and although Monash Malaysia does not provide courses in those fields, Monash provides facilities such as these exchange opportunities to make it possible for every student to pursue studies in whatever field they desire through its partner universities. Thus, students have the opportunities to study what they want as long as they have the initiative to pursue them.
Did you encounter any obstacles during your studies and if so, how did you overcome them?
I faced several family emergencies during my time at MUM and as an international student, it was not possible for me to fly back home on a whim to deal with those situations. In those times my teachers reached out to me with a lot of support and helped me through.
What qualities did you acquire during your studies that were beneficial or helpful to you in the working world?
During my time at Monash, I developed a strong appreciation for different cultures and ideas, not only because of the academic content that I was studying but also because of the diverse student body that Monash attracts and allows you to interact with.
Critical thinking can be an overused term in the world of academia. At Monash, I felt that my teachers took the time out to teach us how to think with a multidimensional perspective rather than assuming that we already knew how to.
What advice would you offer to current students on how to succeed in university?
I would advise students to develop a strong work ethic from their first day at Monash. Even though the coursework at Monash can demand a lot of your time, I never felt that I had to sacrifice much in the way of my social life. Additionally, it is vital for students to work on their time-management skills so intersecting assignment deadlines (and they will always be there!) don’t take a toll on them.
What single experience from your time at Monash stands out?
Getting the Best Graduate Award was a gratifying moment for me, especially because it was one that I got to share with my teachers in front of my parents who had accompanied me to Malaysia to attend the ceremony. I always strived to do my best in university but to have my efforts acknowledged on such a scale was a pleasant, yet very unexpected, surprise.
Now that you have entered the working world, how does a Monash education help define your career?
Monash is a well-known name throughout the world and having a Monash education helps open doors that may not be available to you otherwise. People say that the world is your oyster. Monash has helped me get to a point in life where that may actually be true.