When Dr Soheil Abedian first arrived in Australia from Austria more than 40 years ago, it was a culture shock to say the least. “I flew from Vienna to Adelaide/Tarntanya via Melbourne/Narrm on Christmas Eve, because that was the cheapest ticket that we could get at that time,” he remembers. “When I left Austria, it was minus 15 degrees, with a metre and a half of snow on the ground. When I stepped onto the tarmac at Adelaide at 6am, the heat was so extreme that I thought I was on a different planet.”
Today, Dr Abedian is one of Queensland’s most well-known and respected business leaders and philanthropists. Together with his wife Anne Jamieson-Abedian, he founded the Abedian Foundation, dedicated to the education of future generations. Their Abedian Foundation Brighter Futures Scholarships at Griffith have changed hundreds of lives.
His giving is informed by an extraordinary life, infused by an unshakeable belief in the power of education. “My sisters, my brothers—we are all by-products of higher education,” he says. “Without this education, maybe we would not be anyone.”
Why does he choose to give to Griffith? “It is a place which can make a difference, particularly for students who have financial difficulties,” he says. That’s why, in 2016, the Abedian Foundation Griffith Brighter Futures Scholarships were launched.
At the launch, as Dr Abedian and Mrs Jamieson-Abedian listened to the personal accounts of the students whose lives were changed by scholarships, they felt moved by their stories. As a result, they not only increased the number of scholarships from 40 to 60 per year but also committed to sponsor two students further—one who needed a long-awaited hip operation and one who received funds to cover weekly rent during study.
With Griffith matching the Foundation's donations over the years, this grew to 655 scholarships at $5,000. And ten years later, when the Abedians and their cohort of scholars gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Abedian Foundation program, recipients from across the years spoke, one after another, about the incredible impact the Scholarships had had on their lives. Some recipients had travelled from far and wide, including interstate, to show their appreciation for the support they had received.
The impact of that support is clear: recent statistics show that low socioeconomic status (LSES) students are more likely to remain at Griffith and progress their studies if they have a Brighter Futures scholarship. Scholars have an 82 per cent retention rate: the rate for LSES students who don’t hold a scholarship is 74 per cent.
Giving is also a key part of Dr Abedian’s personal ethos. His family’s elders have passed down their belief, he says, that civilisation can only progress through individuals who make society better. Education lies at the heart of that. “And it’s not just about being educated in technical terms—being a good doctor or teacher or whatever. It’s the education of the spirit and soul which helps us understand how we can contribute to the betterment of humanity. You can be a good doctor or teacher but not a good person. Every child in the world should have the right to be educated. It is the only path to peace and unity. I believe all education should be free.”
His journey from his home country of Iran began in 1967, when he moved to Austria to begin his education in architecture. Dr Abedian’s family is from the Baha’i faith, a religious minority which has been persecuted in Iran for more than 180 years. “At the time of the Shah, the religion wasn’t accepted, but it was tolerated,” says Dr Abedian. “In 1979, when the Islamic revolution happened, persecution increased massively.”
His father was passionate about the ability of education to transform lives, and insisted that each of his children should go to university in Europe. Dr Abedian gained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Architecture at the University of Graz. Then, in 1980, he went to Australia to see relatives who wanted to know if he would consider moving there, too.
Dr Abedian was eager to see the country before he made any decisions about moving, so it was time for a road trip. “Melbourne was very European. Canberra was a city without any soul. It felt very structured. But I loved Sydney/Warrane and its waterways.”
Next on the list: Brisbane/Meanjin. “I didn’t know the Gold Coast existed,” he remembers. “I arrived at my hotel and asked where I should go for a drive. They said: ‘If you go one hour north, it’s the Sunshine Coast. Go one hour south and it’s the Gold Coast.’” He asked which was more interesting. The Gold Coast, came the answer. “We drove to the Gold Coast over Sundale Bridge. I saw 70 cranes in the skyline. That was a dream for a young architect. I told my relatives that if they moved from Adelaide to Gold Coast, I’d move here—and they agreed.”
It took him just seven days to be granted permanent residency. But when he went to the Royal Institute of Architects in Brisbane to register himself as an architect, he hit a snag. “They looked at me like I came from a different part of the universe, and told me that my qualification wasn’t accepted in Queensland. They only accepted qualifications from the Commonwealth.”
To call himself an architect, Dr Abedian would have to sit two exams and gain another qualification. He could still build houses, they informed him—just as long as he didn’t call himself an architect. So that was what he did. He built a beautiful modern house on Cabana Boulevard, Benowa in 1981 and started making a name for himself. Since then, his company Sunland Homes, founded in 1983 with his friend Foad Fathi, has gone from strength to strength. “Australia is the best country in the world. It’s the most multicultural society in the world. We don’t have the divisions you see in the US and in Europe. It’s a good country and it’s been extremely good to me and my family.”
Giving is all around us, he says, even when we’re not aware of it. “Everything in nature is about give and take. Trees and the ocean give us oxygen and we take it without even thinking about it. The same principle should apply to individuals. I don’t just mean generosity in terms of finances but generosity of time, compassion, service and love, and creating a community that will benefit everyone. Giving is part of the joy of our life.”
Image captions (top to bottom):
- Abedian Foundation Brighter Futures Scholarship Reunion at the Gold Coast campus.
- Soheil and Anne with Angus Burkitt and Bec Silman at the Abedian Foundation Brighter Futures Scholarship Reunion at the Gold Coast campus.
Published 27 August 2026
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