HPAIR, you've been wonderful!

Imagine this: you’re in a room full of 600 other delegates from over 70 countries around the world, listening to renowned academics, industry professionals and political leaders impart their knowledge, experience and advice to you. Well that’s what I was able to experience this past week at the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations 2017 Asia Conference held at the Sydney International Convention Centre. I had the amazing opportunity to be the student representative for the Business School (the University of Sydney was the partnering educational institution along with Harvard University) along with Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences student Swetha Das and other USYD delegates.

This year’s HPAIR five-day conference was jam-packed with over 80 exceptional speakers, six unique panel tracks, business field trips, interactive panel discussions (and constructive debates), impact challenge competition, and cultural and social events that provides delegates with ample networking opportunities broadens interdisciplinary knowledge and acts as a forum to share ideas in order to enact real social change. For those of you who were unable to attend, I wanted to share what we got to do during the 2017 HPAIR conference.

Day 1 

The first day consisted of the Opening Ceremony where we heard from Mitchell Hunter and Timothy Makalinao (the USYD and Harvard HPAIR Executive Directors) on their advocacy for change, diversity and sustainability, which led them to coordinating the biggest HPAIR conference yet. Next, John Lord AM, the Chairman for Huawei Australia, and David Ritter, the CEO of Greenpeace Australia, shared their stories of leadership and failures to aspire us to make a difference. What really stood out to me is David Ritter’s simplistic breakdown of the four quadrants of the global crisis: Democracy, Inequality, Climate Change, and the Crisis of Meaning, and the steps that can be taken by young leaders of today to spur the remedial process for these issues. 

Day 2

Business field trips here we come! I attended the Australian Department of Foreign Trade and Affairs trip that was located at the Australian National Maritime Museum. This field trip involved a panel discussion of issues pertinent to the Asia-Pacific region, including how Australia manages the challenges and opportunities presented by its relationships with China, India, and countries in the Pacific and ASEAN. We discussed the issues of sovereignty, current trade policies and much more. It was highly insightful to see how the global and regional economy operates in order to promote economic growth and global stability.

Day 3

University Day! Whilst everyone was capturing photos of the infamous Abercrombie staircase and the Hogwarts-like stature of the Great Hall, I sat in the ABS café catching up on lectures and assessments. Fun I know but you got to work hard to play hard. 

Day 3 was also the beginning of the panel discussions for our individual tracks. As an Entrepreneurship and Technology delegate, we deliberated over topics such as AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, Women in the Technology and Entrepreneurship field to expanding business in Asia. Our panel speakers were either working in the technology/entrepreneurial field and were serial entrepreneurs, or working in the Asia-Pacific region with extensive knowledge and relationships, or even a combination of both. This was honestly my favourite part because not only were they brutally honest and genuine in their stories and advice, they debated over controversial issues providing us both sides of the story. We even had the chance to submit questions that was delved into with tremendous depth and insight. 

We moved on to our individual seminar sessions afterwards – I was in the Cybersecurity: Not Your Average Tech Superstar seminar with Michelle Price, COO of the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network Ltd. She highlighted the nature of the current cyber landscape, both the positive and negative risks associated with cybersecurity, and the global magnitude that a cyberattack like the Mirari botnet has. 

Did you know out of all the OECD countries, we, Australians, are the number one target for ransom ware in the world, per capita? Why? Because we are too trusting and have not yet experienced large home-grown terrorism, resulting in our lack of understanding of the associated risks. 

That night, I was truly immersed in a cultural frenzy as it was International Night at the Quadrangle. From cultural dances to traditional songs, we experienced it all and it was definitely enlightening! Nowhere else can you experience a mixture of over 70 countries and cultures in one single space like that. I went home that night feeling a lot more … cultured (HAHA)!

Day 4

My second favourite day, but also one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had! Day 4 was the Impact Challenge Competition.

I was a part of the United States Studies Centre at University of Sydney case study challenge about Women in STEM fields. We were given a limited time frame (5 HOURS!) to analyse, research, produce a report and presentation on our findings, and demonstrate our innovative thinking through delivering policy recommendations that had the potential to be utilised in the work at the centre. Not only did we need to assess the Women in Stem environment in Australia and the US, but we had to make comparisons to the Asian region, in order to identify the best practices that can be implemented. Unfortunately we did not have the opportunity to present our recommendations, we felt like absolute guns! It was extremely challenging to produce something substantial in such limited time frame but we did it! It truly illustrated to me the power of team collaboration and integration – I’ve never worked in such a more cohesive environment where we able to provide constructive feedback to each other and brainstorm creative solutions. Also, never in my life have I been that productive! It was a whirlwind of a journey that I would gladly like to never participate in again (kidding…but not really)! 

Day 5 

Fifth and final day! 

We kicked off the day with our very own version of a Tedx Talk: HPAIRx, and WOW! We had five exceptional speakers who engaged us to think, debate and take action. Their topics ranged from behavioural action and thinking to the impact of their initiatives to equalise the STEM field for more women to enter. 

We ended the day with our final interactive panel discussion! This time in the Entrepreneurship and Technology track we were able to engage more with our panel speakers to ask more personal questions on their journeys to where they are today and the obstacles they faced along the way. Topics ranged from the role of mentors in career development and the approaches one would implement to nurturing and maintaining those relationships to the differences between the entrepreneurial skills and the entrepreneurial mindset. 

Of course, to truly finish this intensely amazing experience, we had dinner in the ICC Grand Ballroom and then the (long-awaited) after-party at the Marquee. I mean, who wouldn’t want to club on a Monday night with a 9am lecture the next morning! It was honestly so worth it and I wouldn’t give up this experience for anything in the world. I met some amazing people along the way, gained an overwhelming amount of knowledge and advice, and engage in some crazy challenges! I want to thank the HPAIR organisers and the University of Sydney for letting me be a part of the new wave of change. 

By Cindy Ngo
Current Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Sydney Business School.