My Australian Story: “No Standing” by Prof. Jing Han

On 8 April 1988, Jing boarded a plane and left China for Australia, both for the first time in her life, to pursue her PhD studies in English literature at the University of Sydney. Packed in her suitcase were packets of washing powder and her cherished English language copy of Ulysess. She arrived at Sydney airport, alone, with US$50 in her pocket, having assumed that brightly marked buses from the University would come to take her to an already-assigned dorm on campus. She waited until she realised that these cows were not coming home.

Growing up in socialist China, Jing came to Australia with excellent English and solid knowledge of literature, from Shakespeare to Modernist writers such as T.S. Eliot, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, but had never seen or heard of McDonald’s. After six years of studies, during which she worked at Franklins supermarket in Maroubra and could not afford a single trip home, she completed her PhD, owing her eternal gratitude to her supervisor Professor Dame Leonie Kramer who recognised her critical talent, helped her obtain a scholarship, taught her independent thinking, and guided her with care and support.

Born curious (and outspoken, contrary to the meaning of her name), Jing ventured out beyond the ivory tower of academia. After graduation, she started work in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, then moved to the Victims Compensation Tribunal in the NSW Attorney General’s Department and became the compensation manager. There she learnt how the legal system worked and that the language of law was not figurative. During the same period, she was recruited by SBS TV as a night-time subtitler, starting her first double life by subtitling arthouse movies at night during which she stumbled into a most extraordinary encounter. Ten years later, she was appointed the chief subtitler, and went on to lead the SBS Subtitling Department, where all cultures were genuinely appreciated and equally respected. In her 23 years at SBS, she subtitled over 200 Chinese films and TV programs and worked on every single episode of the cult-following Chinese dating show If You Are The One, claiming—against the Chinese tradition of modesty—to be the best Mandarin subtitler in the world. Meanwhile, she started her second double life by joining Western Sydney University in 2006, making key contributions to the development of the University’s flagship translation and interpreting program. In 2019, she signed up for the ‘nine-days-a-week’ challenge as Director of the Institute for Australian and Asian Arts and Culture at Western Sydney University, expanding her contribution to promoting Asian Australian arts and culture, and advocating for greater Asian Australian representation in leadership.

Above all, Jing is a proud mother of two diligent and responsible children, Samuel and Bronte.

About the Opening Speaker

Professor Barney Glover AO began his five-year term as Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia in 2024.

Professor Glover is a distinguished academic leader, an accomplished mathematician and mathematics educator with significant experience in developing strong relationships with the vocational education sector. He is well respected for his engagement with First Nations Australians and disadvantaged communities.

He served as Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University from 2014 to 2024. During his ten-year tenure, he led the University to achieve the world’s number one position in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for three consecutive years.  In 2019, Professor Glover was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to tertiary education, professional associations and cultural organisations. In 2015, Professor Glover was awarded the title of Emeritus Professor for his outstanding leadership whilst Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University from 2009 to 2013. Professor Glover was awarded the title of Emeritus Professor and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Western Sydney University in 2024 in recognition of his decade of leadership. 

Professor Glover has served on the boards of a diverse range of corporate organisations and several state and national centres covering areas such as health and medical research, energy, mineral exploration, and telecommunications.

About Professor Jing Han

Professor Jing Han is the Director of the Institute for Australia and Asian Arts and Culture (IAC) and professor of translation studies at Western Sydney University. She is a leading expert in translating culture, intercultural communication, audiovisual translation and media accessibility. She is highly regarded for her significant and original contributions to practice and teaching in the field. She is also known for her leadership in intercultural competence.

Professor Han received her MA in English literary criticism from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1986 and PhD in English literature from the University of Sydney in 1995. She joined SBS TV in 1996 and was Chief Subtitler and Head of the SBS Subtitling Department till 2019. She subtitled many well-known Chinese films including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Lust, Caution; Hero; Not One Les; Let the Bullet Fly; 1942; Ash Is the Purest White; The Road Home; Wedding Banquet etc. She was the leading subtitler of the Chinese reality show If You Are The One, the longest showing non-English series in Australian broadcasting history.  In 2017 and 2022 respectively, she was selected by the Australian government to be included in 45 Years, 45 Stories, and in 50 Australia China Stories, for her contributions to the cultural exchange between Australia and China in the 45 and 50 years of the diplomatic relation.

Professor Han is also a published literary translator, having translated the modern Chinese classic Educated Youth by award-winning author Ye Xin into English, and the Miles Franklin Award winning novel Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko into Chinese. In the past six years as the Director of IAC, Professor Han, among other achievements, has produced 30 art exhibitions, featuring 45 Australian artists of diverse cultural backgrounds.