Michael Fay OAM

Michael Fay OAM was pleasantly surprised when he heard he was being acknowledged by the Order of Australia for his work to strengthen and build relations between Southeast Asia and Australia.  

Mr Fay is special adviser to the Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN), the higher education sector peak body established by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He has been director and head of education services at Australian strategic advisory firm ASEAN Focus Group (AFG VG) since 2001.

For his work, he was awarded the medal of the Order of Australia for service to international relations, and to education. 

"I was surprised when I heard [of my recognition], because I had thought it recognised only domestic work in Australia. But this is for work done in Southeast Asia and connecting Southeast Asia and Australia in international education,” he says.

"I was very, very pleased, because I think Southeast Asia and Australia have a really important relationship to strengthen, deepen and develop." 

Mr Fay also founded the Australia Centre Medan based in North Sumatra in 1994, which conducts English language courses for children, teenagers and adults and advises people on studying in Australia, the application and student visa process and accommodation.  

The Australia Centre Medan also played a key role in North Sumatra and Aceh provinces of Indonesia by providing local logistics support for the Australian government response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. 

On top of this, he is chair of the Education and Training Industry Group at the Australia Indonesia Business Council and was the co-founder and managing director of the Insearch Language Centre at the University of Technology, Sydney.

This recognition will only further amplify his work, Mr Fay explains.

"It gives more publicity to the region and the organisation. And I think an award like this shows that it is an important part of our regional relationship, strategic relationship, and I think it will inspire more people to become engaged with Southeast Asia,” he says.  

"Recognition is very important because … this is a grass roots, bottom-up award that comes from the community, who say this is important. Often people who are at the top end of the political or social landscape in Australia are the ones who put forward people for awards. 

"Everybody that is doing things to build Australia in the best way possible has a chance to be recognised or put forward, even if the people aren’t doing the work for recognition.”