The Study Melbourne Future Founders Program team are grateful to be able to work and collaborate with so many outstanding organisations, to deliver an interactive program aimed at international students and budding entrepreneurs.

The program is brought to you by Study Melbourne and StartSpace. They worked together to deliver the Future Founders Festival in 2020, and following its success, extended to a year-long program in 2021 including roadshows, the festival and hackathon, bootcamps and venture scholarships. 

Other organisations that support the program come from right across industry, the startup ecosystem and student services who helped to  engage the target audiences and spread the word about the program. 

Thank you to all these wonderful supporters, without which the program would not succeed. 

About Study Melbourne

Study Melbourne is a Victorian Government initiative providing support and information to this community of international students, helping them have the best possible time while studying and living in Victoria.

Study Melbourne offers a range of support and services to international students including free events, activities and confidential support, covering career and development, physical activity, wellbeing and personal safety. 

The main support hub is based out of the Study Melbourne Student Centre, with access to services online and over the phone also.

Study Melbourne Empowered Program

Empowered policy framework 

Victoria’s inclusion, innovation and self-determination agenda are part of the state’s key competitive strengths. 
This includes Victoria’s thriving start-up and social enterprise sectors, introducing Australian-first legislation on wage-theft, LGBTIQ+ and gender equality, and a treaty process for Aboriginal Victorians. Central to this policy reform is self-empowerment which links wellbeing, ‘ability to thrive’ and an intrinsic motivation to be the master of one’s own destiny. 

Study Melbourne Empowered Program (‘Empowered’) – builds international student capacity through a targeted strengths-based approach to employability, entrepreneurship and empowerment, including leadership and social capital. Empowered is supporting international students' return on investment in their international education – providing the right skills and connections across the entire student journey.

The program is leveraging Victoria’s world-class innovation and inclusion agenda, celebrating international students as a globally connected skilled talent pool and recognising their significant social and economic contribution as global learners – and leaders.

The program has launched Australian-first initiatives such as Career Catalyst – an international student career and job accelerator; the Future Founders Festival celebrating international students’ business and entrepreneurial talent; and Leadership Labs, providing student leadership and social enterprise skills development.

Empowered program highlights 2020-2021

Achieved a 90 per cent average participant satisfaction rating based on quality and outcomes, the Study Melbourne Empowered Program supported over 10,000 international students through a range of strengths-based, employability, entrepreneurship and empowerment initiatives.