About Mukesh Dhamala

I lead recruitment strategy and delivery across the region, from setting market-level targets to the practical work of converting enquiries into enrolled, well-prepared students.

That includes supporting counselling teams, improving application quality, guiding students through their decision-making process and ensuring pre-departure conversations prepare them properly for study and life in Australia.

Education agents are at the front line of international recruitment, and the quality of their advice can shape a student's entire study experience.

I recruit, onboard and train agent partners across the region. A significant part of my year is spent working directly with their teams — conducting training sessions, reviewing cases and helping counsellors work through the questions students and families are actually asking.

For me, an agency agreement is only the beginning of the relationship. Strong partnerships are built through ongoing communication, training, accountability and shared understanding.

I lead NAPS's development across established and emerging international markets.

Recent market-development activity has included Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, the UAE, Kenya and Ghana.

Each market begins with the same process: understanding local student demand, the regulatory environment, agent capability and where NAPS can genuinely provide value before committing to a recruitment strategy.

I represent NAPS at international education forums, conferences, agent events and industry engagements, including AIEC, ICEF, Austrade events, Study NSW, PIE Live India and IC3 India.

I also work closely with in-country representatives, education agents and country managers across Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines and other key markets.

Every partnership begins with understanding the goals, opportunities and responsibilities of the people involved. I aim to make every conversation practical, responsive and worthwhile.

In recruitment, that comes down to three principles.

If a course is not the right fit for a student, or a market is not the right fit for a provider, it is better to have that conversation early. A difficult discussion before enrolment costs far less than a poor outcome later.

An agent agreement should never be the end of the onboarding process.

Counsellors need to understand the course, the pathway, the student profile and their compliance responsibilities well enough to explain them accurately even when the institution is not in the room.

Compliance and recruitment should support each other.

ESOS obligations, genuine-student requirements and responsible recruitment practices are not obstacles to sustainable growth. They are what allow that growth to remain credible and sustainable over time.