Malaysia's progress in the corporate world inspired Thilageswary Nadarajah to embark on an adventure that will ultimately shape her career.

Thilageswary left her hometown of Klang, near Kuala Lumpur, to undertake a Bachelor of Information Technology at Australia's leading regional tertiary education provider, Charles Sturt University.

With support from her mother Kularnee, she left her position at Matshushita Electronic Components to take up full-time study. In early June Thilageswary and 13 fellow international graduands were recognised for their achievements in completing their courses and wished well in their future careers before heading home to their respective countries.

"One of the motivation factors to complete the bachelor degree is based on the need for a degree based qualification to progress in the corporate world in Malaysia," she said.

The students had spent up to three years studying at Charles Sturt University's Wagga Wagga Campus, and came from countries such as the Philippines, Puerto Rico, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Botswana.

With her degree completed, Thila, as she is known to her Australian friends, hopes to work as a project manager in the information technology industry in Malaysia.

" I have changed so much since I've been here," she told her fellow students and their guests at the pre-graduation ceremony.

"I love the Australian countryside and would recommend others to study at Charles Sturt."

Thila also said she had found a "home away from home" while staying with her Australian "foster" parents, Ruth and Max Robinson, who made her stay so special.