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Alumni expected to play greater roles in RI, Australia relations
The power of alumni: Australian Consortium for âIn-Countryâ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) director David T
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The power of alumni: Australian Consortium for âIn-Countryâ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) director David T. Hill is calling on the consortiumâs alumni to play greater roles in strengthening relations between the two countries. (Courtesy of David T.Hill) (ACICIS) director David T. Hill is calling on the consortiumâs alumni to play greater roles in strengthening relations between the two countries. (Courtesy of David T.Hill)
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span class="inline inline-center">The power of alumni: Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) director David T. Hill is calling on the consortium's alumni to play greater roles in strengthening relations between the two countries. (Courtesy of David T.Hill)
Alumni of the Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) should be able to play greater roles in easing political tension between Indonesia and Australia when bilateral relations of the two countries heat up, an expert has said.
'They can participate in calming down the political tensions by using simple measures, such as writing letters to the editor in news media companies,' ACICIS director David T. Hill told journalists in Yogyakarta on Friday.
The ACICIS is an Australian education consortium that aims to help students from Australia and other countries gain entry to universities in Indonesia. The organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary by holding a string of activities in Yogyakarta from Aug. 28 to 30 and in Canberra on Oct.13.
'Established 20 years ago, the number of ACICIS alumni has reached around 2,000 people,' said Hill, an Australian academic and noted expert on Indonesia.
He said ACICIS alumni cultures worked in key positions in various important institutions, such as in departments of the Australian government and in the Australian Embassy in Indonesia. Many of them had worked as academics at various universities and had become experts in business institutions. Those who understood Indonesian culture could give important input to increase mutual understanding between Indonesia and Australia.
'Many officials in Indonesia, such as former vice president Budiono, former foreign minister Marty Natalegawa and Ibu Mari Elka Pangestu [former trade minister], are alumni of universities in Australia who can help strengthen relationships between the two countries,' said Hill.
Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia have at times heated up due to certain political reasons. The last major flare up was when Indonesia executed two Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, in April for drug trafficking.
ACICIS resident director Elena Williams said the organization was developing new programs in the field of agriculture, health and art for Australian students who wished to pursue their studies in Indonesia.
The ACICIS has 22 university members in Australia and two international members from the Netherlands and the UK. This year ACICIS is growing stronger thanks to support from the New Colombo Plan, an Australian government initiative that aims to increase Australians' knowledge of Indo-Pacific issues by funding Australian students wanting to study in the region. (ebf)
