Carol Bellamy, Chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), visited Australia May 21-23, 2012. Over the course of three days in Canberra and Melbourne, she held meetings with Australian Government officials, staff of AusAID, and CSOs focusing on education. In Canberra, she met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Richard Marles, and MP Kevin Rudd. Bellamy thanked the Australian Government and parliamentarians for Australia's strong commitment to the GPE (now the second-largest donor) and for their leadership in education globally.

During several meetings at AusAID headquarters in Canberra, Bellamy updated senior staff on the GPE and its strategic planning process, discussed issues of education in the Asia-Pacific region, and how the GPE and Australia can continue working closely together in achieving education for all.

In Melbourne, Bellamy joined in a wide-ranging discussion of global and regional issues in education development with the Australian Coalition for Education and Development (AECD), a new coalition of NGOs and teachers' unions,

Also in Melbourne, Bellamy had the opportunity to participate as a panelist in an Oaktree Foundation discussion that was hosted by Monash University. The foundation is an Australian-based aid and development organization run by people age 16 to 26. The topic for discussion was on how young Australians can work to achieve MDG 2 in the Pacific. Additionally, Bellamy discussed her background in international development and shared how her career path had led her to education in development.