With news that education exports earn $28bn the time is right for the International Education Association of Australia to announce its 2017 Excellence Awards, including:

Distinguished Contribution to IE: Helen Zimmerman from Navitas. “Helen’s impact on the organisations she has served … has been enormous and are best practise in industry leadership. … Helen’s leadership is characterised by collaboration, partnership and advocacy.”

Leadership in IE: Rebecca Hall, Trade and Investment Queensland. “Rebecca is a true leader, inspiring others with her innovation, creativity, drive and inclusivity.”

Innovation in IE: Karyn Kent, Study Adelaide, for “creating employment opportunities for international students in South Australia.”

Outstanding postgraduate thesis: Jan Christian C Gube, for Ethnic identity negotiation of Filipino students in Hong Kong multiethnic classrooms (University of Tasmania)

Best practice in international education: International paediatric certificate and international postgraduate paediatric nurse certificate teams: Mary Iskander, Phyllis Bogopa, Rita Gudinho, Kathryn Currow, all from the University of Sydney/Sydney Children’s Hospital Network

Best practice in international education: Victoria young leaders to China: Connie Andreana, Clare Hardie, Jayne Furlong, Belinda Wong, Lindy Stirling, Gary Shaw, Rachel Maas, all from the Victorian Government.