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When we think of how women can maximise their international education, we think of Riddi Viswanathan.

After high school in India, she moved to the to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business studies and economics.

This was where Viswanathan stepped out of her comfort zone to become a student leader representing 400,000 students from 192 countries.

Today, she is an award-winning active advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, having been featured on several news channels such as BBC, the Guardian and The New York Times for her amazing work.

Even after all she has done — and — Viswanathan is only just getting started 鈥� and she鈥檚 excited to do even more.

On this special International Women鈥檚 Day episode of Extra Credit, we learn about Riddi鈥檚 experience advocating for diversity, and how she鈥檚 actively supporting students and young entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds.聽

Listen below, and wherever you get your podcasts:

The transcript below has been lightly edited for grammar, spelling and clarity.

Lee Lian: It鈥檚 International Women鈥檚 Day today 鈥� a very special day that calls for a very special episode. This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淚nspire Inclusion鈥� and it鈥檚 about truly understanding and truly valuing women鈥檚 inclusion. It鈥檚 about women themselves being inspired to be included and when that happens, they feel belonged, relevant, empowered.聽

The sad thing is the world is not there yet 鈥� in India, women make up 46.2% of students in universities but only 7% of Vice Chancellors are women. In the UK, 43% of 18-year-old women compared to 32% of men of the same age, are admitted to university.鈥疓lobally, a quarter of the top 200 universites have female presidents or vice-chancellors. While it鈥檚 great that there are now more women in university, the number of women leaders remains far, way far from ideal.

The good news is today we鈥檙e speaking to someone young, someone female, and someone who wants to change this trend. Riddi Viswanathan was a student leader at the 糖心vlog官网 of Manchester where as she was completing a BA in Business Studies Economics, she was representing 400,000 students in the UK. Today, she鈥檚 an entrepreneur and fintech professional 鈥� an award-winning active advocate for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion who has been featured in BBC, the Guardian and The New York Times. Welcome, Riddi it鈥檚 great to have you here with us today.

Riddi: Thank you – thank you very much.

Lee Lian: Let鈥檚 start from the beginning. You chose to pursue a BA in Business Studies and Economics at the 糖心vlog官网 of Manchester. What was that like? What was the top challenge you faced as a woman in that course?