Melinda Kong

Dr. Melinda Kong serves as a Senior Lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak, Malaysia, within the Faculty of Business, Design and Arts. Her academic leadership extends across multiple roles including Course Director of MA (TESOL), Associate Dean (Academic Practice) of the Faculty of Language and Communication, and Associate Head of the School of Language and Foundation.

Dr. Kong's educational journey includes a PhD in Education from the University of Melbourne, a Master of Arts in TESOL from the Institute of Education, University College London, and a Bachelor of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (1st Class Honours) from the University of Southampton. All degrees were obtained under full scholarships, demonstrating her academic excellence from the outset of her career.

Her research program centers on education, teacher education, internationalisation of higher education, identity, agency, international students, and language learning strategies. Dr. Kong's work particularly examines the complex interplay between language, identity, and education in cross-cultural contexts, with a focus on Asian teachers and students navigating international educational environments.

Dr. Kong's scholarly contributions include numerous refereed journal articles, book chapters, and a monograph published by Routledge. Her publications reveal consistent research productivity with a clear thematic focus on teacher identity, language learning strategies, and international student experiences across diverse educational settings.

• Melbourne International Research Scholarship
• Melbourne International Fee Remission
• Melbourne Graduate School of Education – studentship
• Melbourne Graduate School of Education – publication grant
• Award for excellent service from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia
• Full scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia

As a supervisor and academic leader, Dr. Kong brings extensive experience from her roles on the Academic Board and as a convener of diverse subjects. Her current research projects funded by the Sarawak Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research, the Sarawak State Library, and Sarawak Information System Sdn. Bhd. provide opportunities for collaboration and practical application of research findings. Her commitment to both theoretical scholarship and practical educational improvement makes her a valuable mentor for graduate students interested in language education and international education contexts.