Southeast Asia Intelligence (SEAQ) is an online course that will strengthen the capability of Australian professionals to engage, connect and collaborate with the region. This six-week micro credential blends diaspora-led regional knowledge and cultural fluency, with insight into emerging trends and market opportunities to prepare and support participants to engage confidently and constructively in Southeast Asia.
SEAQ is aimed at professionals who are preparing to enter or expand into the region, develop their Asian business skillset or seeking a more practical understanding of Southeast Asia.
The course curriculum is co-designed in consultation with Southeast Asian business leaders, federal and state government bodies, and academics and industry leaders to ensure participants are learning content that is relevant and applicable to their industries and target markets in Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia Intelligence is developed and delivered by the RMIT Asia Hub, Asia Society Australia and RMIT Online as a pilot program. It is generously supported by the ASEAN-Australia Centre.
Over the course period of six-weeks, participants will engage in six modules of self-paced learning (3–4 hours/week), complete a small series of assessments, and attend live weekly online workshops with fellow participants, industry experts, government officials and Southeast Asian diaspora business leaders.
The assessments for this course are primarily analysis and reflection pieces aimed to get participants thinking about their own role, career and organisation and how to engage with the region. Pending minimum course completion requirements, participants will be awarded an RMIT Digital Badge to recognise their efforts in strengthening their Southeast Asia intelligence.
The first pilot course commenced in May 2026, with a further course scheduled for later this year and another in early February - April 2027.
Southeast Asia Intelligence has been developed by the RMIT Asia Hub as a pilot program and is generously supported by the ASEAN-Australia Centre. The October-November 2026 and February – April 2027 cohorts are grant funded, with zero cost to the participant.
Total time commitment is 3–4 hours per week. This is made up of self-paced learning, a one-hour live weekly webinar, and some small assessments.
The live webinars are compulsory. We understand life and work happen, and you’re not always able to make each one, but we encourage Slack participation to make sure you’re keeping up with the consultation.
There is a total of 25 spots available for the October-November 2026 cohort. We will be running an additional cohort of 25-30 people in early-2027 and anyone who isn’t selected for this intake will be followed up with next year to see if they’re still interested.
We’re thrilled to be able to provide this course to you for free, the only thing we’d love from you at the end is your feedback!
When participating in this program, you’ll be asked to provide feedback on how relevant it was to you, your job, sector, and your career journey, so we can make improvements to what will be an established short course in future.
This is also why it’s important we have a broad range of participants who will help inform us of the necessary adjustments to create a course that’s applicable to a broad range of professionals.
SEAQ is designed for Australian professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of Southeast Asia to advance their careers, expand opportunities for their organisation, and build long-term regional connections.
The course is tailored for exporters, entrepreneurs, executives, graduates, public sector representatives and education professionals. It explores key sectors of Australia-Southeast Asian relations, including agriculture and food; resources; green energy transition; infrastructure; education and skills; visitor economy; healthcare; digital economy, professional and financial services; and creative industries.
Expression of interests (EOIs) for the October to November 2026 cohort have now closed. If you’d like to know more, please email asiahub.seaq@rmit.edu.au or follow us on LinkedIn for updates on future cohort EOIs.
We’re seeking a broad range of participants from different sectors and locations, with different job responsibilities and varying experience of working with or in Southeast Asia.
The RMIT Asia Hub team will review all the participants and select a cohort that is diverse in its experience, shaping up a great opportunity to learn from other participants, understand different sectors perspectives on Southeast Asia and meet other people interested in the region. It also allows us to get feedback at the end of the course that will help shape future iterations.
The RMIT Asia Hub team will be in contact by the end of September if you’ve got a place for Cohort 2. We’ll follow up to double check you’re still interested, and get you enrolled in the course.
If you don’t get a spot for this cohort, we’ll follow up next year to see if you’re still interested, plus we’ll keep you on the list for any other events or opportunities in the meantime.
Unfortunately, we may not be able to fit everyone into the free spots and we apologise for that!
This cohort will run from the 19 October – 27 November 2026, plus a week of some onboarding engagement with RMIT Online. We will keep you posted if there are any changes to these dates.
| Dates | Details |
| 18 May – 28 June 2026 | First pilot course. Completed. |
| 19 October (Week 0) – 6 December 2026 | Second pilot course. Applications open. |
| February – April 2027 (TBC) | Third pilot course. Application timelines to be announced. |
Please note, course dates are subject to change.
SEAQ Insights: Reflections from our first Industry Mentor
Bal Bhullar shares what stood out from working with the pilot cohort, and how the program helps professionals translate Southeast Asia knowledge into practical strategies.
SEAQ is designed in consultation with a Diaspora Advisory Group of Southeast Asian business leaders who have provided practical insights into the knowledge, skills and perspectives necessary to doing better business in the region.
Alyna Pham is a trusted bridge-builder between Australia and Vietnam, known for creating deep trust, cross-cultural understanding, and partnerships that last. As Founder & Director Advisor of AusViet Bridge and an alumna of the prestigious Australia-Vietnam Leadership Dialogue, she advises government, corporate, and non-profit leaders on market entry, strategic partnerships, migration pathways, and supply chain solutions across sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, METS, and technology. Combining strategic intelligence with genuine care, Alyna ensures every project delivers both immediate outcomes and long-term legacy.
Carmen Garcia AM is the CEO/Founder of national award-winning diversity and inclusion certified social enterprise, Community Corporate. She specialises in cultural inclusion as a widely recognised multicultural workforce expert, creating economic and social impact solutions through partnerships with the corporate sector that maximise employment and skilling opportunities for refugees and migrants. Carmen was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List for her significant service to the multicultural community through diversity and inclusion advocacy and programs. She is also the first female appointed as the current Philippine Honorary Consul in South Australia.
Eleanor Mak is a CEO and regional reform leader with over 20 years advancing Australia–ASEAN trade, governance and innovation. She leads Venturenauts, building cross-border ventures, and co-founded Guru Advantage, preparing ASEAN talent for the future of work, and Halal Secure, a pioneering blockchain platform modernising halal supply chains. She has shaped regulatory reforms in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines, and advanced Australian business interests through advocacy with ASEAN, Australian and New Zealand ministers. As President of the Australia–ASEAN Business Council (2016–2022), she negotiated the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council’s first MOU with Australia and convened the ASEAN Business Advisory Council’s inaugural mission to Australia, engaging 400+ leaders.
Francis Wong is an accomplished Australian entrepreneur, and company director with 30 years of experience in developing positive trade, investments, tourism, and cultural developments in Australia. Mr. Wong brings strong management, board governance and global business experience through his various roles. His strong attributes also include governments relationships, public policy, international marketing, talent management and cultural diversity. With his extensive involvement in fostering Australia and International connections, especially ASEAN region, it has won the recognition from the industry, and the business community with numerous awards and accolades.
Ms Lydia Santoso is a Partner at Nicholas George Lawyers and a Public Notary, specialising in Australian law with a strong focus on Australia–Indonesia legal and commercial relations. She chairs the Australia-Indonesia Institute and the Australia Indonesia Business Council (NSW), and holds leadership roles in several cultural and educational organisations. Of Indonesian-Australian heritage and fluent in Indonesian, Lydia combines legal expertise with deep cross-cultural fluency, practicing in both Sydney and Jakarta. Her experience spans private international law, regulatory compliance, and notarial services. She is well-connected across diplomatic, business, and community networks, serving as a trusted advisor in Australia–Indonesia relations.
Minh is currently a Senior Advisor in Trade Strategy and Operations at Austrade - Australian Trade and Investment Commission, where she plays a key role in ensuring Austrade as a federal government agency can deliver excellent client service and practical solutions to exporters as per the government priorities. Outside her role at Austrade, Minh is also the President and Co-founder of Global Viet Women, a non-for-profit global network dedicated to empowering Vietnamese women professionally, fostering leadership opportunities, and strengthening cultural and community ties across the globe. As a Vietnamese Australian, Minh is passionate about communications and creating successful commercial partnerships, especially the development of bilateral trading relationship & educational and innovation links between Australia and Southeast Asian region.
Khunapong Khunaraksa is a global operations and impact leader driving system changes across the waste, water and sanitation sectors in Southeast Asia. He is currently Senior Director, Finance and Operations at The Circulate Initiative and also leads the Responsible Sourcing Initiative Indonesia Project, addressing plastic pollution and human rights challenges in the recycling supply chain. Khunapong serves on the Board of Splash and is an Executive Advisor for WASH Education Pty Ltd, championing water, sanitation and hygiene access for children in schools. His work has expanded access to safe water and sanitation for millions across Southeast Asia, advancing environmental sustainability at scale.
A member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Expert Network and Chair of the ASEAN Business Alliance, Sandy is an award-winning International Business Executive of the Year, Asia's Top Sustainability Women of the Year, and Singapore Management Consultant of the Year. Appointed Ministerial Advisor on Innovation and Digital Economy in Western Australia, Sandy brings over two decades of cross-sector expertise to public-listed firms, industry councils, and governments in the APAC region. An advocate of trade and sustainability as pathways to peace and security, she has chaired and delivered keynotes at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Forum, Harvard Business School Leadership Summit and Davos Agenda for the World Women Foundation. Recognised for her contributions, she received the Australia Community Citizen of the Year Award from the WA Governor in 2020 and serves as an Ambassador for the Australia Day Council.
Introducing our Industry Mentor for the first SEAQ pilot course, who leads weekly webinars, support learners online and connect course concepts to real business, policy, and collaboration decisions.
Bal Bhullar is an international trade and investment professional with over 15 years of experience across the Asia-Pacific and the Americas. He has held senior roles in trade policy, investment facilitation, and economic diplomacy, including as Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Brunei in Washington D.C. and as Senior Policy Advisor at the APEC Business Advisory Council Secretariat for Brunei. Bal has deep expertise in Southeast Asian markets, regional trade frameworks including CPTPP and AANZFTA, and cross-border commercial engagement across ASEAN, Northeast Asia, and the Indo-Pacific. He is currently completing a Diploma of Customs Broking and is also an independent trade and investment consultant. Bal brings a practitioner's perspective to the SEAQ program, drawing on direct regional experience to help participants translate market knowledge into actionable business and policy strategies.
Our team is here to help. For enquiries or if you require assistance with your application, please contact us at asiahub.seaq@rmit.edu.au
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