In a city of more than ten million people, Anish Badgeri sums up his time overseas so far in a single word:
“Community.”
London may be thousands of kilometres from his home in Perth, Western Australia, but through the John Monash network, Anish has found a strong sense of connection. The 2025 European Regional Symposium in Copenhagen offered an early chance to strengthen those ties.
“The Scholars Symposium in Copenhagen was an invaluable opportunity to reconnect in person to build shared experiences and strengthen our sense of collective identity, despite the diversity of our professional and academic backgrounds,” Anish says.
Now based at University College London, Anish is undertaking a Master of Comparative Education as a Geoff Gallop John Monash Scholar. Studying in one of the world’s most international classrooms has given him a new vantage point — one that throws Australia’s global presence into sharper relief.
“Despite our geographical isolation, Australia is a deeply outward looking nation that exerts significant economic, political, and cultural power on the world stage.”
“This has only strengthened my passion for using education as a vehicle to promote greater social equality.”
His coursework has pushed him to examine education systems with fresh eyes by looking at how access, equity and inclusion are designed, funded and sustained across different countries.
“Studying Comparative Education at UCL has also highlighted that while we have a lot to celebrate in terms of our education system, we also have a lot of room to grow to ensure that it remains accessible and inclusive for students from a range of diverse backgrounds.”
That interest in systemic improvement has also extended beyond the classroom. In an article for The West Australian, Anish examined why many of Australia’s highest-achieving students are deterred from pursuing a career in teaching. Most recently, a report on comparative curriculum analysis that he contributed to was published by the Centre for Education Systems, a London-based education research group.
For Anish, leadership is defined by mindset rather than title.
“Leadership is so much more than the job title in your email signature; it represents your mindset and frames the way in which you move through the world.”
Looking ahead, he is focused on returning home to Australia and applying what he has learned.
“My experience at UCL has strengthened my commitment to return to Australia and advocate for education reform.”
Anish is completing his Master of Comparative Education at University College London on the 2025 Geoff Gallop John Monash Scholarship, with a focus on advancing equity and opportunity through education.
