Dr. Beena Giridharan – A Rich Experience

Unmistakably, Dr. Beena Giridharan has a passion for teaching, and a thirst for knowledge. Not only do her multi-disciplinary qualifications demonstrate this, but so does her transnational work and life experience.

Her journey into tertiary education began with her completion of an undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science, in her birth country of India. Subsequently, she ventured into the territory of English Language and Literature in her Masters at Curtin University; followed by a PhD in Applied Linguistics and Education.

Having been a valued employee of Curtin University’s Sarawak Campus since 2000, Dr. Giridharan currently holds the title of Dean of the School of Foundation and Continuing Studies. Concurrently, she is the Dean of Teaching and Learning.

“My role involves teaching, research and administration. I enjoy it because it gives me the opportunity to have input into policies, reflect on an institutional level on many policies, and sometimes affect change. I value that opportunity”.

Beena believes that both the staff and students have contributed to her pleasure and success in working at Curtin University.

“We have a very multicultural and diverse workforce. It is good to see how people approach opportunities or problems from different perspectives. Sometimes we have a very rich product as a result.

“I feel like part of a big learning community of scholars”.

“We also have international students at a micro level, so we have excerpts of different cultures coming in. I think that adds to the value and richness of the classroom and our learning environment”.

However, in being a transnational educator, there have been certain aspects of teaching and differences in the curriculum in which Beena has had to adjust to.

“In terms of teaching, my first (job at Curtin) was a big change for me because my last teaching role was a third year undergraduate class, teaching Shakespeare – my students were very scholarly and would spout poetry. When I came here, it was more on functional English and academic writing, which was a big change for me. I had to get acclimatised to the standards of the students and to what they know, and what they needed to know”.

“I see it now as a very rich experience”.

In light of her transnational education and career path in Malaysia, Dr. Giridharan considers herself a Malaysian. Her husband is a Malaysian engineer, both her daughters live and study in Malaysia, and she has now taken up Malaysian citizenship.

In the future, Beena is focused on improving her transnational education engagement, as she states, “I see myself in more a scholarship of teaching and learning and being involved in more projects at an international level”. Clearly, the education world is Dr. Beena Giridharan’s oyster.