International students key to realising Australia's FTA ambitions in Asia

But little investment is made into integrating international students into Australia's regional trade strategy. In fact, scores of international students return to Asia every year sombre about the lack of commercial opportunities and experience Australia provided them.

Australian employment policies and norms discriminate international students from gaining vital internship experience. Australian universities then provide little support for connecting international students with employment opportunities in Asia.

Unless returning international students work for an Australian company in their home country, they quickly lose connection with Australia.

Australian companies with operations in Asia such as Macquarie and Cochlear should be opening their doors to international students for short-term internships in Australia before transferring talent to their offices in Asia. International organisations with a branch in Australia, including KPMG, could introduce a similar program for talent identification and training.

Funding should also be allocated for international students to participate in entrepreneurial incubator projects. These projects provide training, mentoring and foster new trade channels between Australia and Asia.

Further investment is then necessary to ensure that international students in Australia are better integrated into Australian society. An isolated experience studying abroad in Melbourne or Sydney does not render well for promoting bilateral understanding or developing future trade and people-to-people connections.

Beyond professional experience, international students would benefit from university orientation days with local students and language exchange activities with Australian students learning an Asian language.

Organisations such as the Australia China Youth Association and the Australia Indonesia Youth Association already play an important role in fostering social and cultural integration as well as people-to-people links. More funding and new organisations are needed to serve other pockets of the international student community including Korea, Japan and India.

Abroad, we must encourage returning international students to stay engaged with Australian network groups including the Australian Chamber of Commerce, alumni associations and Embassy events.

Trade is unequivocally a two way street, and if Australia is to truly realise its economic potential under the new free trade agreements, we can't afford to lose connection and waste the sizeable pool of educated talent returning to Asia.