The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hold a public hearing on 18 March 2026 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 17 March 2026

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hold a public hearing on 18 March 2026 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond. The hearing will bring together experts from the humanities and social sciences, language education, and international relations to explore how the Australian education system builds our understanding of and capability to engage with Asia. Committee Chair Hon Tim Watts MP said, “Australia’s future in our region depends on our ability to understand it deeply and engage with it confidently.” “Humanities and language teaching experts who specialise in Asia understand the importance of interpreting the cultural, social, and historical forces shaping our region’s future, and they play an important role in building our next generation of Asia-capable Australians." “We know our workforce needs a far broader set of skills to navigate the strategic and economic shifts taking place across the region.” The hearing will form part of the Committee’s comprehensive picture of how the education system can drive the development of Asia capability. The Committee will identify practical, long‑term measures which can ensure the education system plays a central role in preparing Australians for the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing region. Public hearing Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2026 Time: 11.30am – 2.30pm (AEDT) Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website. Media inquiries Laura Green (03) 9687 7661 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4573 edu.reps@aph.gov.au

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from teachers, school associations, and community language educators on Monday 8 December 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond.

Media release issue date: Monday, 8 December 2025

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from teachers, school associations, and community language educators on Monday 8 December 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond. Committee Chair, Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘Teachers and lecturers are at the heart of building Australia’s Asia capability. They’re not just teaching language. They’re opening doors to understanding cultures, building empathy, and preparing our young people to succeed in a region that will define our future. When we invest in teachers’ skills and resources, we’re investing in Australia’s ability to engage confidently and effectively with our neighbours.’ ‘The Committee is looking forward to hearing firsthand perspectives on the critical role teachers and lecturers play in building Asia capability. This hearing will explore how educators can embed language learning and cultural understanding in classrooms, and how we can support them to maintain and grow these capabilities into the future.’ The Committee will schedule further public hearings in 2026. Public hearing Date: Wednesday, 8 December 2025 Time: 9.00 am – 3.15 pm Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live broadcast of the hearing will also be available on the APH website. Media inquiries Hon Tim Watts MP, Chair Tim.Watts.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9687 7661 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4573 edu.reps@aph.gov.au

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from participants of Asian Australian Voices on Wednesday 5 November 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond.

Media release issue date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from participants of Asian Australian Voices on Wednesday 5 November 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond. Committee Chair, Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘Australia’s multicultural identity is a national asset. Our people, their lived experiences, and cultural knowledge are tools of influence that must be represented in our institutions. While we have more work to do to fully break the ‘bamboo ceiling’, Asian Australians have increasingly broken through into positions of leadership in our national institutions in recent times and have directly demonstrated the Asia Capabilities latent in our diaspora communities.’ ‘However, these diaspora communities require support to build and maintain their Asia capabilities too. Asia capabilities, particularly language fluency, tends to diminish through the generations and requires real effort to maintain. Structured learning can increase impact of all forms of tacit cultural knowledge.’ ‘The Committee is looking forward to hearing firsthand perspectives in identifying structural and societal barriers to building Asia capability. This hearing will examine not only how to make the most of the existing Asia capabilities of our diaspora communities, but also how we can maintain and develop these capabilities into the future.’ Submissions to the inquiry are open until Friday 7 November 2025 and the Committee will schedule further public hearings soon. Public hearing Date: Wednesday, 5 November 2025 Time: 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live audio stream of the hearings will also be available on the APH website. Media inquiries Hon Tim Watts MP, Chair Tim.Watts.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9687 7661 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4573 edu.reps@aph.gov.au

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from the Department of Education on Wednesday 29 October 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond.

Media release issue date: Monday, 27 October 2025

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education will hear from the Department of Education on Wednesday 29 October 2025 as part of its inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia through the education system and beyond. Committee Chair, Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘for our first public hearing for the inquiry, the Committee is looking forward to speaking with the Department of Education to identify practical steps to reverse declining Asia capability in schools and universities. To ensure Australia’s future prosperity and security in our region, it is vital that we continue to strengthen our cultural understanding, language skills, and regional expertise—all of which begin with Australia’s education system.’ Mr Watts added that the Committee has a particular focus on identifying the structural enablers and barriers to building Asia capability in schools and universities and the strategies to increase both demand for and access to Asian languages and cultural studies. ‘By making Asia capability a national priority, we can strengthen language learning, cultural understanding, and regional expertise to ensure Australians are prepared to succeed in an increasingly dynamic and complex region,’ Mr Watts said. Submissions to the inquiry remain open until 7 November and the Committee will schedule further public hearings soon. Public hearing Date: Wednesday, 29 October 2025 Time: 10.45am – 11.45am Location: Parliament House A program for the public hearing is available on the inquiry website. A live audio stream of the hearings will also be available on the APH website. Media inquiries Hon Tim Watts MP, Chair Tim.Watts.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9687 7661 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4573 edu.reps@aph.gov.au

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education has today launched an inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia and is seeking written submissions to guide the inquiry’s findings.

Media release issue date: Monday, 22 September 2025

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education has today launched an inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia and is seeking written submissions to guide the inquiry’s findings. Committee Chair, Hon Tim Watts MP, said ‘Australia’s future prosperity and security relies on the Asia capability of our people – the mix of cultural understanding, language facilities and regional experiences that are needed to be effective in Asia.’ ‘Our region is becoming more dynamic, complex and consequential. Australia’s education system will need deeper Asia capability than ever before so that our future leaders and institutions can be effective in our region.’ ‘Despite this, on many measures Australia’s Asia capability has been going backwards in our schools and universities for decades. Between 2004 and 2022, there was a 75 per cent decline in enrolments in Southeast Asian languages at Australian universities.’ ‘Asia capability is a vital sovereign capability – building it is a whole of nation challenge. ‘The inquiry will focus on the enablers and barriers to building Asia capability in schools and universities, strategies to stimulate demand and improve access to language learning and the role of new technologies and diaspora communities,’ Mr Watts said. The Committee welcomes written submissions providing recommendations in response to the terms of reference by Friday, 7 November 2025. Submissions are encouraged from a wide range of stakeholders, including government, peak bodies and academics, as well as educators and students who can provide firsthand experiences of Asia capability in the education system. More information on the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on making a submission, can be found on the inquiry website. Media inquiries Hon Tim Watts MP, Chair Tim.Watts.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 9687 7661 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4573 edu.reps@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.