ISSU / About Us

International Student Support Unit (ISSU)

Welcome to the International Student Support Unit!

The International Student Support Unit (ISSU) provides support to International students through the provision of information, activities, advice and counselling.

We aim to help International students achieve success in their studies and to make the experience of being an International student rewarding and enjoyable.

The service is open to all full degree and study abroad/exchange students and their families or partners. Our counsellors have experience in helping people cope with many issues including cross-cultural concerns. If you would like to know more about our counsellors please click here.

The ISSU has two offices:

Main campus
Level 1, Services Building G12
Codrington Street, Darlington
Phone: 9351 4749
Email:

Cumberland campus
Ground Floor, A Block
C42, Cumberland Campus
Phone: 9351 9638
Email:

We provide assistance with:

  • Helping you prepare to leave your home country
  • Advising you on what to expect when you arrive in Sydney
  • Cultural adjustment
  • Emotional changes which can take place when you move to a different country
  • Academic concerns, including understanding the University system and liaising with staff members
  • Helping you prepare to return to your home country

The following is an outline of the support services provided by ISSU, please browse the links and feel free to contact us if you would like more information.

On this site you will find information about:

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback please contact us on 9351 4749 or email: info@issu.usyd.edu.au

ISSU Staff

Lidia Nemitschenko
Head, International Student Support Unit
BA DipEd Adel MA (CounsPsych) Macq, MAPS, Affiliate MAPA

Lidia

Lidia Nemitschenko is a registered Psychologist and has been the Head of the International Student Support Unit since November 1996. In addition to individual counselling work, she is actively involved in arranging Orientation and other support programs for international students and maintains a close liaison with student representative organisations, student clubs and societies and the University of Sydney Union.

Lidia’s previous work experience includes counselling in other universities and in NSW schools and working in the NSW Department of Education as a policy adviser and administrator in the area of special education. Before training as a psychologist, Lidia taught languages and ESL in schools in South Australia, the Northern Territory and NSW. Lidia particularly enjoys working with international students and exploring the most effective ways to help international students adjust to life in Sydney and at the University.

Paul O'Donohue
Counsellor
BA Social Wk Qld MA NSW

paul

Paul O’Donohue began his career in counselling with Community Health and has worked with a range of counselling and community support organisations. He has a depth of experience in individual counselling, group work and family therapy. Paul has worked with international students for seventeen years having commenced in this area with the Australian Agency for International Development and he joined the ISSU team in July 2000. Paul has and continues to emphasise the importance of providing good information and advice to students before they leave home, and when they arrive in Australia, to ensure that their adjustment difficulties are minimised and that the possibility of them facing problems in the future is less likely.

Yasmine Wahab
Counsellor
BA (Psych) (Hons), MCounsPsych Macq

yasmine

Yasmine Wahab is a registered Psychologist and has been working at the International Student Support Unit since April 1997. She has been actively involved in the Unimates Program, Accompanying Partners Program and is currently the ISSU-AusAID contact person.

Before ISSU, Yasmine’s work experiences included counselling teenagers and young adults in programs aimed at diverting youth from the criminal justice system and working in the area of child protection. She enjoys working with international students who come from such a wide and varied range of cultural backgrounds and supporting them both practically and in areas of personal growth through getting to know their inner world.

Lye Lee Tan
Counsellor
BA (Psych&Ed) Syd, P/GradDip (Psych) WSyd

lye yee

Lye Yee Tan is a registered Psychologist and has been a counsellor at the International Student Support Unit since January 2000. Prior to that, she has worked in various positions at the ISSU and the International Office. This has helped her achieve a broad understanding of international student needs and services available to them.

Apart from counselling, she has a special interest in recruiting, training and supervising both local and international student volunteers. She also oversees the Accompanying Partners Program at ISSU which aims to support Partners of international students.

Maria Pirrello
Counsellor
BA DipEd MA (Psych) Syd, MAPS

maria

Maria Pirrello is a counselling Psychologist. She started working at the International Student Support Unit in September 2005. Her previous work experience includes working as a school counsellor for 15 years, working as an educational counsellor for newly arrived migrants and refugees and working as a counsellor for the Department of Education and Training in the area of employee conduct and performance management.

Gabby Pritchard
Counsellor
BA DipEd MA (Psych) Syd, MA (SchCouns) (Hons) Macq, MAPS, Member AGCA

gabby

Gabby Pritchard is a registered Psychologist and commenced working at the International Support Unit in 2005. Gabby’s other work experience includes working as a school counsellor and providing professional supervision and practicum support to school counsellors’ in training in NSW schools. Her previous employment involved student services co-ordination in inner city schools, which included working with international students and their families.

Gabby is especially interested in her current work with international students to facilitate their academic progress and positive University and Sydney experiences.

Karin Bryla
Counsellor - Cumberland
BA (Psych) (Hons) Jo’burg, MAPS

karin

Karin Bryla is an International Student Counsellor working at the Cumberland campus since October 2005. She is a registered Psychologist and has worked in the area of workplace counselling in a corporate setting (Employee Assistance Program), trauma counselling and individual work in a private practice. She has also worked with children and families, specifically in the area of adoption.

In her work as a Psychologist , she has most enjoyed understanding how people from culturally diverse backgrounds understand the world. Working at the International Student Support Unit, she has admired the multitude of strengths that students bring to the challenges of leaving that place called home to live in Sydney.

How do I comment on, compliment or complain about the International Student Support Unit?

You can talk or write to the Head of the International Student Support Unit. If this avenue has returned an unsatisfactory response, you can contact the Director of Student Administration and Support or, if appropriate, the Staff and Student Equal Opportunity Unit.

Anything you have read on this page may be followed up with staff at the International Student Support Unit who will be happy to discuss any questions you have.