International Office
The International Office is located at the north western end of the Hunter Building, on the University of Newcastle's Callaghan campus. We are H-10 on the campus map, opposite the Bar on the Hill with the main entrance facing the Student Services Building.
We coordinate a range of welfare and support services for international students.
You will also find the Director's office with us and our staff who work in the below teams.
International Marketing, Recruitment and AdmissionsStudent Experience and Community Engagement
Business Operations and Strategic Development
Contact us
| International Office University of Newcastle H-10 Hunter Building Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia T +61 2 4921 6236 E international-reception@newcastle.edu.au |
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Profile
Alex Tagaroulias
Alex Tagaroulias, Regional Manager for North America, Europe and the Middle East, is the International Office’s longest serving team member. He joined us some 22 years ago, in 1991, as the ‘Overseas Student Welfare Assistant’.
He still cites it as the best job he has ever done. “I have always had the welfare of the students at heart.”
In his time with the University, Alex has seen international student numbers grow from less than 100 to the 6,600 enrolled with us today.
A highlight of Alex’s career has been his spear-heading of our Study Abroad programs.
“I became very passionate about the whole thing,” he said. “I wished something like it had existed when I was a student.”
“We did some excellent work with partner agreements in Germany and the USA which was unique at the time. I remember sitting by the river in Frankfurt with an agent and we said, how can we partner with other universities directly? It was a breakthrough.”
“I feel like I have grown with the office. I came here as a young man, and it was a young industry. Now look how it’s grown.”
Alex comes from a big, Greek family and says he is firmly rooted in Newcastle.
“I can take a walk within one kilometre of my mother’s house and stop for coffee in so many different homes and cafes. I love it.”
He is also an avid musician and does a number of gigs with his band The Shedmasters.
On top of his work, family and music, Alex also has time (plenty of time!) for football, coaching at local state league club Hamilton Olympic. “I’m the fanatical football guy”, he says.
So what are Alex’s thoughts on the future of international education in Australia?
“I think international education in Australia will still have its up and downs, but I look forward to being along for the ride.
The world is getting smaller and I see international education as a unifier. On some level, what we facilitate fosters global understanding and that’s a great thing.
Of course it has a commercial imperative but we can say we are doing something fairly important as far as the world and its harmony is concerned.”
