australian alumni awards

8/13/2019 Australian Alumni Awards

1/7


2/7

2 Jakarta Globe Monday, May 28, 2012 3Monday, May 28, 2012 Jakarta GlobeSponsored Supplement: AustralianAlumni Awards Sponsored Supplement: Australian Alumni Awards

Tunggul Wirajuda

For Indonesians determinedto make a larger impact onthe world around them,studying overseas is one ofthe preferred ways of

opening the doors to a brighter careerand future. And no other country is assought after by Indonesians for thispurpose than Australia. According to

Australias Department of Innovation,Industry, Science, Research andTertiary Education, there are roughly18,000 enrollments from Indonesianstudents currently studying in

Australia, mostly in its universitiesand other centers of higher education.

AShortTrip toInfinitePossibilities

Indonesians have long been drawn toAustralia due to its quality of life andhigh educational standards. But fortraditionally close-knit Indonesianfamilies, another attractiveconsideration is the relative closenessof the two neighbors.

Studying in Australia is closer tohome [compared to Great Britain orthe United States], said Esti Wandari,

who graduated with a bachelorsdegree in screen production fromGriffith Universitys QueenslandCollege of Art in 2000. Airline ticketfares are cheaper, and most capitals of[Australian] states have flights toIndonesia.

Esti, now a lecturer in broadcastcommunications at the University ofIndonesia, added that the competitiveprice of a university education in

Australia was another key to herdecision to seek her degree at GriffithUniversity. Like Esti, manyIndonesians have taken advantage ofthe availability of scholarships andthe fees ranging from A$9,000 to

A$14,000 a year for FoundationStudies and A$12,000 to A$19,000for English language training.

MasteringEnglish,Experiencing

Multiculturalism

For many prospective Indonesianstudents, the desire to improve theirEnglish skills, particularly at a moreadvanced level, is a powerfulincentive to studying in Australia. Thecountrys education system isrenowned for its English languagecourses, which are flexible yetregulated to ensure high standards.

Students have a number ofinternationally recognized Englishproficiency tests to choose from, suchas the Cambridge Test, Pearson Test,TOEFL [Test of English as a ForeignLanguage] as well as IELTS[International English LanguageTesting System].

However, the best way to learnEnglish is through practical,hands-on application. Education in

Australia requires a lot of essaywriting, which develops our writingskills in English, said KathrynParapak, who graduated from theUniversity of Tasmania in 1998 with a

bachelors degree in commerce.

Once there, many students arequick to make the most of Australiasmulticultural society and find roomfor personal development. [Livingand studying in Australia] has taughtme to work and socialize with peoplefrom different countries, saidKathryn, who currently works as thehead of corporate marketing andcommunications at AIA Financial.Studying abroad also teaches one to

be more independent.Over 400,000 students from over

180 countries studied in Australianeducation institutions in 2011.

And traveling to Australia to learndoes not mean that prospectivestudents have to begin at square one.The National Office of Overseas SkillsRecognition enables Australianinstitutions to recognizequalifications from other countries,allowing for the recognition of astudents previous studies.

TheCuttingEdge ofAcademics

Australias universities are renownedfor their high-quality teaching andresearch facilities. Lecturers areexperts in their fields who are eager topass their learning and experience onto students. There have been 11

Australian Nobel Laureates, andAustralia has an impressive list ofscientific achievements; inventionssuch as the anthrax vaccine, penicillinand the cochlear implant as well asGPS and WiFi, that have had a hugeimpact right around the globe.

Total Australian Government

support for science, research andinnovation is almost A$9 billion,including A$22 million forinternational Postgraduate ResearchScholarships. A postgraduate degreefrom Australia has given me moreopportunities to explore my chosenfields of education and psychology,said Sri Purwati, known as Ninong,

who graduated from James CookUniversity with a masters degree inclinical and health psychology in2000. [Postgraduate studies] alsogave me the chance to meetprofessionals with the same interests,said Ninong, who works as a therapistspecializing in autistic children.Since my interest is in special-needseducation, a field with relatively few[practitioners], my degree improvedmy competitive edge.

Thatedgeisfurtheredthroughthestate-of-the-artresearchfacilitiesatmanyAustralianuniversities,meaningstudentsgraduatewiththeskillsandexpertiserequiredtoexcelinafast-changingworld.Since2008,the

AustralianGovernmenthasinvestedmorethan$1.8billioninworld-classsciencefacilitiesacrossthenation.

TheAustralianWay

Another major factor behind thesuccess of Indonesians in Australiashigher education sector lies in theAustralian Way of studying, whichfocuses on practical learning,creativity, independent thought anddebate. Lecturers aim to makestudents thoroughly understand thesubject matter instead of merelymemorizing it. The methods ofteaching [in Australia] are interactiveand engaging said DevyandraKusumaatmadja, who graduatedfrom Griffith University with a

bachelors degree in print andbroadcast journalism in 1998.

The lecturers would encouragetheir students to ask questions, said

Deyvandra, who works in AoraSatellite TVs content division. Theexperience made me more critical,discerning and perceptive.

Interactive, practical and efficient,the Australian higher educationsystem is also built for speed,averaging about three years tocomplete an undergraduate program.

The benefits do not end there.Universities like the Royal MelbourneInstitute of Technology have formedclose partnerships with internationalinstitutes and firms like Airbus, BMW,

Volkswagen Group and Siemens.One Indonesian who benefited

from those partnerships is EriSetyadi, who graduated from RMIT in1999 with a bachelors degree inmechanical engineering and works asa technical field manager with BMW.

RMIT is a reputable universitywhich has good relations and projectswith various engineering companiesaround the world. So it gave me [an]advantage when it comes [to the jobmarket], he said.

This fully supportive, holisticapproach to education is the reason

why thousands of Indonesians travelto Australia each year to further theireducations. The quality of thateducation can be measured in thestories of this years Australian

Alumni Awards nominees.

Visitwww.studyinaustralia.gov.au/for

moreinformationonstudyinginAustralia.

Opening a Wider Window to the WorldThrough the Australian Way of Education

Welcometothis specialsupplementtointroducethefinalistsintheAustralian AlumniAwards2012.

TheAlumniAwardscelebratethesuccessof themanyIndonesianswho havestudiedinAustralia.Werecognizethecontributionofthesealumnito theirchosenfieldsandtowardIndonesiasownprogress.

Inreachingout toour alumnicommunity,weinthe AustralianEmbassyhaveonceagainbeenoverwhelmedbytheenthusiasticresponsesinnominatingoutstandingIndonesiansfortheseawards.

TheAustralianalumnicommunityuniversities,colleges,employers,familiesandfriends haveputforwardanoutstandinggroupof peopleasnomineesand finalistsfortheawards.Behindeachnominee isastoryofpersonalachievement.Andtheseindividualsin turnareshapingthefutureof Indonesia.

AlumniplayakeyroleinunderpinningthestrongrelationshipbetweenIndonesiaandAustralia,so theseawardsareagoodopportunityforustocelebratelifelongfriendshipsandconnectionsbetweenourtwocountries.

TheAustralianEmbassyisproudthatAustraliais atopdestinationforIndonesiansstudyingoverseas.Wearekeentosee theseeducationallinkscontinuetogrowthroughscholarships,professionalexchangesandcontinuingeducation.

Inthissupplementyou willalsofindprofilesofsomeofourpastAlumniAwardrecipients.Theycomefromallwalksoflifeandare achievinggreatthingsintheirchosenfields.

Wehavealsotakenthisopportunitytolookatotherimportantelementsof therelationshipbetweenIndonesiaandAustralia.Our twocountriesaregood friendsandstrategicpartners.Asyoucanseebythebreadthof articleshere, wehavestrongbondsonmanylevelsincludinginculture,business,defense,developmentandeducation.

Pleasejoinmeincongratulatingthefinalistsin

theAustralianAlumniAwards2012.Wewill publishtherecipientsintheJakartaGlobeinearly June.Greg Moriarty

AustralianAmbassadortoIndonesia

A Message FromAmbassadorGreg Moriarty

Australias universities are renowned for their high-quality teaching and research facilities. Lecturersare experts in their field who are eager to p ass theirlearning and experience on to students.

TheAustralianWayof educationbenefitsstudents byencouragingindependent thought,creativityandcriticalthinking,ensuringathoroughunderstandingofsubjectmatter.

AustraliaAwardsisanAustraliangovernmentscholarshipprogramtopromotesustainabledevelopmentandexcellenceineducationintheAsiaPacific.In2010,atotalof 459AustralianAwardswereprovidedtoIndonesiansand25toAustralianstopursuefurtherknowledgeineachcountry,makingIndonesiathelargestbilateralrecipientofAustraliaAwards.

AustraliaAwardsbringtogetherthetwomajorAustraliangovernmentfundedscholarshipprograms theAustralianDevelopmentAwardsandEndeavourAwards.

DevelopmentAwards,administeredbytheAustralianAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(AusAID),isamajor componentofAustraliaAwardsandhasplayedasignificantroleinAustraliasdevelopmentcooperationformorethan60years.Theawardsoffershortand longtermstudyopportunitiestoenhanceleadership,knowledgeandtechnicalskillstopartnergovernments,tertiaryinstitutionsandstrategicorganizationsthataredrivingsustainabledevelopmentinIndonesia.

AusAIDsflagshipprogram,theAustralianDevelopmentScholarships,areprovidedforpost-graduatestudyandresearchinstrategicfieldsthatsupportIndonesiasspecificdevelopmentneedsandfallunder fourprioritydevelopmentareas:sustainablegrowthandeconomicmanagement,democracyjusticeand

goodgovernance,investinginpeople,andsafetyandpeace.

AusAIDencourageswomen,peoplewithdisabilities,ethnicminoritiesandpeoplefromruralareastoapplyforscholarships.Itaimstoensureequityandbroadparticipation.

EndeavourAwardsisadministeredbytheAustralianDepartmentofIndustry,Innovation,Science,ResearchandTertiaryEducation.Itisaninternationallycompetitive,merit-basedprogramthatprovidesopportunitiestostudy,do researchandprofessionaldevelopmentinAustraliaforIndonesians(incoming)orinIndonesiaforAustralians(outgoing).

TheEndeavourAwardsconsistofEndeavourPostgraduateAwards,EndeavourResearchFellowships,EndeavourExecutiveAwardsandEndeavourVocationalEducationandTrainingAwards.Theprogramencouragestheestablishmentoflinkagesbetweenindividuals,organizationsandthetwocountries,whileshowcasingAustraliascapacityasacenterforqualityeducation,researchandinnovation.

Applicationsarenow openforAustraliaAwards.EndeavourAwardscloseonJune30,andAustralianDevelopmentAwardsonAugust17.

Furtherinformation,including

eligibilityrequirements,isavailable

atwww.australiaawards.gov.au.

Take LearningFurther WithAustralianScholarships

The Australian Alumni

Awards provideIndonesians with one ofthe most concrete ways togauge the value of seeking

a higher education Down Under. Forthe past four years, the Alumni

Awards have recognized outstandingtalent, achievements andcontributions made by Indonesians

who have studied in Australia.At present, there are a large

number of Australian alumni livingand working in Indonesia, many of

whom are leaders and innovators intheir respective fields.

You can find Australian alumni inprominent positions within theIndonesian government, as well as infields as varied and wide-ranging asfinance, academics and music.

Well-prepared to make asignificant impact on their homecountry through the excellenteducation they receive in Australia,these people are contributors to

Indonesias sustainable economic andsocial development.

Through the Alumni Awards,the Australian Embassy hopes toshine a light on these individualsremarkable achievements, and assuch, the awards serve as t heembassys largest public diplomacyevent, accentuating the mutually

beneficial relationship between thetwo neighbors. But being selected asan award-winner carries no smallamount of responsibility.

Winners are hoped to becomeunofficial ambassadors for Australia

within their respective fields,highlighting the benefits and virtuesof Australia as an excellent educationdestination for Indonesian students,academics and researchers.

Additionally, the AustralianEmbassy hopes to increase ties

between the two countries in theeducation and research sectors.

Each year, the embassy hands outAlumni Awards to recognize theoutstanding contributionsIndonesians have made in categoriessuch as education, the arts, national

defense and entrepreneurship.On Saturday, the Australian

Embassy, along with hundreds ofattendees and community leaders,

will come together for a gala awardsceremony in Jakarta to honor thefinalists and 12 Indonesians selectedas this years Australian Alumni

Award winners.

ChoosingtheWinners

The process of choosing this yearsaward recipients was an exhaustive,multi-stage process.

Beginning in February, a call wasput out via local media outlets thatthe embassy was acceptingnominations for worthy individualsin 10 of the categories. The

nomination period was open untilApril 30.

Then came the difficult part. Apanel of judges, consisting ofembassy representatives, siftedthrough the pile of nominations tomake the first cut, whittling down thenumber of nominees to a maximumof four in each category.

After the initial round of judging,the remaining nominees were thengiven a second look by a panel of

judges not connected to theembassy. That panel completed thedifficult task of choosing one winnerin each category, and the names ofthose winners will remain secretuntil the awards ceremony onSaturday.

InspiringandDistinguished

In addition to the 10 categories opento the nomination process, theembassy will also be selectingoutstanding alumni in two othercategories.

The Inspirational Alumni Awardis given to outstanding alumni whose

work is truly an inspiration to others.They are Indonesians who have

worked tirelessly toward a particularcause, driven by their passion forcontributing to improvements in thelives of others.

The Distinguished Alumni Award

recognizes those who have madelifelong career achievements andcontributions to Indonesia, as well asmaintaining strong alumni links

between Australia and Indonesia.The recipients of these two awards

will be announced, along with theother winners, at the ceremony onSaturday evening.

A Spotlight on theSuccess of OurAustralian Alumni

The AustralianAlumni Awards area good opportunityto celebrate lifelongfriendships andconnectionsbetween our twocountries

See pages 6-7for the fullbreakdown

of this yearscategoriesand list of

shortlistednominees


3/7


4/7

7Monday, May 28, 2012 Jakarta Globe6

Australian Alumni Awards 2012 : Categories & FinalistsAWARD FOR EXCELLENCEIN EDUCATION

Thisaward seeksto recognizesignificantcontributionsbya lumnitoI ndonesianeducation.

Throughtheirwork,thisindividualwillhavedemonstratedleadership,initiativeandcommitmentt oeducation delivery,curriculumdevelopment,teaching andpedagogy,school anduniversitymana gement,innovative policyinitiativesandreform.Thisincludesthoseformallyemployedintheeducationsectorasteachers,lecturers,rect ors,department officersand policymakers,aswellasthoseworkinginthenon-governmentsectororinavoluntarycapacity.

AWARD FOR RESEARCH& INNOVATION

Thisawardseekstorecognizesignificantachievementinanyfieldofresearchand

innovationwhichcontributestocurrentknowledge.Thisincludesallareasofcurrentscientificresearchandcanincludecontributionstotechnologicaladvancementsweenjoytoday.

AWARD FORSUSTAINABLEECONOMIC & SOCIALDEVELOPMENT

Thisawardseekstorecognizeanindividualwhoseactionshavecontributedtothedevelopmentofaprosperous,democraticandsafeIndonesia.Thecontributioncanbeinaprofessionalorvolunteercapacityandfocusedonsuchareasthatcontributetosustainableeconomicmanagement,democracy,justiceandgoodgovernanceand/orhumanitarianwork.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCEIN MEDIA, CULTURE &THE ARTS

Thisawardseekstorecognizeoutstandingtalent,originality,professionalismandflairinmedia,cultureandthearts.

INSPIRATIONALALUMNI AWARD

Thisawardisgiventooutstandingalumniwhosework,eitherintheirprofessionoravoluntarycapacity,istrulyaninspirationto

others.Theyhaveworkedtirelesslytowardaparticularcausedrivenbytheirpassionforcontributingtoimprovementsinthelivesofothers.TheInspirationalAlumniAwardrecipientwillbeannouncedonSaturday.

DISTINGUISHEDALUMNI AWARD

ThisawardrecognizesthosewhohavemadelifelongcareerachievementsandcontributionstoIndonesia,aswellas

developingandmaintainingalumnilinksbetweenAustraliaandIndonesia.TheDistinguishedAlumniAwardrecipientwillbeannouncedonSaturday.

Dr. Wahdi S.A. Yudhi Lecturer,UniversitasMuhammadiyahYogyakarta(LaTrobeUniversity)

Dr. Ratna Sitompul Dean,FacultyofMedicine,Universit asIndonesia

(Universityof Queensland)

Dr. Basuki SeniorLecturerin

Economics,UniversitasAirlangga(Universityof Wollongong)

Dr. Nurul Barizah ViceDeanforCooperation,Development andInformationSystem s,Facultyof Law,UniversitasAirlangga (UniversityofTechnologySydney)

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCEIN NATIONAL DEFENSE

ThisawardacknowledgestheimportanceofthenationaldefensesectortoIndonesiaspolitical,

economicandsocialwell-being.Applicantswillhavemadeacontributiontonational,regionalandglobaldefenseoperations;providedassistancetocommunitiesaffectedbynaturaldisasters;beendeployedasUnitedNationspeacekeepers;ordevelopednewlegislativereforms.

Brig. Gen. Herry Noorwanto HeadofAdministrationBureau,SecretariatGeneral,Ministry ofDefense(De fenseStrategicStudiesCourse)

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Anshory Tadjudin(DefenseStrategicStudiesCourse)

Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate Directorfor

InternationalCooperation,DirectorateGeneralofDefense Strategy,Ministy ofDefense(DefenseStrategicStudiesCourse)

Dr. Francis Xavier Wahono ExecutiveDirector,YayasanCindelarasPartitrana(LaTrobeUniversity)

Eva Rahmi Kasim ServiceandSocialRehabilitation,Ministry ofSocialAffairs

(DeakinUniversity)

Prof. Ikrar Nusa Bhakti HeadofCenter

forPoliticalResea rch,LIPI (GriffithUniversity)

Febriane Paulina Makalew Lecturer,PoliteknikNegeriMana do(University ofNewSouthWales)

Dr. Marthen Mullik ProjectLeader,UniversitasNusaCendana(UniversityofQueensland)

Dr. Rintis Noviyanti SeniorScientist,EijkmanInstitute(TheWalterandEliza

HallInstituteofMedicalResearch&UniversityofMelbourne)

Dr. Eka Srimulyani DeputyDirector,

GraduateStudies,InstitutAgamaIslamNegeriAr-Raniry(UniversityofTechnologySydney)

Prof. Ismunandar ProfessorofChemistry,Instit utTeknologiBandung;Director,RegionalCe nterfor Science,SoutheastAsiaMinisterEducationOrganization(UniversityofSydney)

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCEIN NATIONAL SECURITY

ThisawardacknowledgestheimportanceofthenationalsecuritysectortoIndonesiaspolitical,

economicandsocialwell-being.Applicantswillhavebeeninvolvedineffortstodealwithtransnationalcrime,environmentaldegradation,maritimesecurityorotherthreatstoIndonesiasintegrity,prosperityandsecurity.

Vice-Mar shal Urip Utomo Director,GeospasialDeputiKaBINBid.Teknologi,National IntelligenceBurea u(DefenseStrategicStudiesCourse)

Vice-Mar shal Joh nny FritzPandapotan Sitompul Commander,

NationalAirDefenseCommand(DefenseStrategicStudiesCourse)

Paul Tanjung Tan Principal,ArkipuriIntraNa sional(RoyalMelbourneInstitute ofTechnology)

Dr. Ari S. Widodo PoespodihardjoDirector,LondonSchoolofPublic

Relations(WollongongUniversity)

Dirgayuza Setiawan Co-Founderand

Producer,Idenesia( UniversityofMelbourne)

Angelina Mar ia Donna Ariyant iManagingEditor,Ber itasatu.com(Universityof TechnologySydney)

AWARD FORENTREPRENEURSHIP

Thisawardseekstorecognizeinnovativeandentrepreneurialbusinesspeopleinanyindustry

sectorsinIndonesia.Applicantsarecontributorstocreatingnewbusinessopportunityandstronggrowthprospectsfortheirrespectiveindustry.

Joseph Hong PresidentDirector,GreenWorldGroup(CentralQueenslandUniversity)

Sugiarto Ongko Director,NOWETWaterlessCarclean(Universityof

NewSouthWales)

Handi Irawan Djuwadi CEO,Frontier

ConsultingGroup(Universit yofNewSouthWales)

Veronica Tjon g and Fransisca TjongFounders,PanciousPancake House(MonashUniversity)

AWARD FOR BUSINESSLEADERSHIP & BUSINESSMANAGEMENT

Thisawardseekstorecognizebusinessleadershipandacommitmenttoresponsiblebusinesspracticesthathavebroughtaboutpositivechangestotheworkplace,aswellasprovidedinspirationtoothers.Thisawardrecognizesemergingandcurrentleaders.

Harsya W. Prasetyo SeniorVicePresident,Citibank (UniversityofMelbourne,MelbourneBusinessSchool)

Dr. Budi Dharma Notowidjojo CEO,BimaBisalloy(Universityof

Wollongong)

Aris Setiawan GeneralManager, Energi

MegaPersada, GelamBusiness Unit(MonashUniversity)

Ficky Maurya CEOandManagingDirector,SunriseSteel(Universityof Newcastle)

AWARD FOROUTSTANDINGCONTRIBUTION TOPUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONThisawardseekstorecognizeanindividualinthepublicsectorwhohasmadean outstandingcontributiontopublicpolicyandprogramdevelopmentinIndonesia.Thismayincludedevelopingandimplementingpublicreformsprograms,mentoringandtrainingstaffinordertoachievesuccessfulpublicadministrationoutcomes,andfurtheringinternationalcooperationwithforeigncounterparts.

Salusra Satria Directorof RiskManagementandInsuranceDirectorate,IndonesiaDepositInsuranceCorporation(MacquarieUniversity)

Dr. Andry Indrady SpecialStafftotheViceMinisterofLawandHumanRights,

MinistryofLawandHumanRights(FlindersUniversity)

Dr. Johanna Kodoatie Headof

Department ofEconomics,Faculty ofEconomicsandBusine ss,UniversitasDiponegoro(JamesCookUniversity)

Prof. Ali Ghufron Mukti ViceMinisterandactingMinister,MinistryofHealth(Universityof Newcastle)

AWARD FOROUTSTANDINGYOUNG ALUMNI

Thisawardseekstorecognizeoutstandingtalent,achievementsand/orcontributionsmadebyalumniintheirchosenfieldthatdemonstrateintegrity,initiativeandinnovation.Thisawardisopentoalumniwhoareunder35yearsofage(atthetimeofnomination)andopentoalumniinallfieldsofemployment,communityserviceandvoluntarywork.

Felycia Edi Soetaredjo LecturerandResearcher,WidyaMandalaSurabayaCatholicUniversity (UniversityofQueensland)

Dr. Indra Kemal Director,MitraIndustries(UniversityofNewSouth

Wales)

Rosita Elianur EducationalConsultant,

R&DLearningC onsultant(DeakinUniversity)

Krishda Tan GraduateChemicalEngineer,RioTinto(UniversityofNewcastle)


5/7

8 Jakarta Globe Monday, May 28, 2012SponsoredSupplement:AustralianAlumniAwards

When PresidentSusilo Bambang

Yudhoyono called

on Indonesia andAustralia to work

harder on developing their extensivepeople-to-people links in his 2010address to the Australian Parliament,one member of the audience that day

was particularly inspired by his callto action.

The Australian Chief of DefenseForce, General David Hurley, decidedthen and there to work with hisIndonesian counterparts to formalizean Indonesia-Australia Defence

Alumni Association.In 1974, as a cadet at Australias

Royal Military College, Duntroon,young Lance Corporal Hurley hosteda group of cadets from the IndonesianMilitary Academy in Magelang,during the first ever officer cadetexchange between the two countries.It was another 35 years before DavidHurley went to Indonesia and caughtup with the cadet he had hosted atDuntroon. To his mind, that was fartoo long.

In this age of cyberspace and theInternet, the Australian DefenceForce Chief determined that an

Alumni Association was the perfectway to keep friends and colleagues intouch across time and space. InMarch 2011, along with theIndonesian chief of the general staff,David Hurley proudly inaugurated aformal Defence Alumni Associationin Jakarta.

Defence Alumni bonds between

Indonesia and Australia arelongstanding. In June 1961, twoIndonesian army officers, Antonius

Witono Sarsono and EdwarWellington Tambunan, entered theAustralian Army Command and StaffCollege at Fort Queenscliff, Victoria,for an 18-month course. In 1964,

Australia reciprocated when MajorColin East began his training at

Indonesias Command and StaffCollege in Bandung.

Hundreds of Indonesian and

Australian soldiers, sailors andairmen have trained and studied ineach others countries since that time.This year, there are Australiansstudying at Indonesias NationalResilience Institute, the DefenseUniversity, the Joint Services Staff

College, Army Staff College, NavyStaff College and Air Force StaffCollege. Meanwhile, six Indonesian

officers are undergoing similartraining at the Australian DefenceCollege in Canberra. In addition,there are two Australian officers andtwo Indonesian officers embedded

within each others staff colleges.Last year, Indonesia and Australia

celebrated 50 years of DefenceAlumni activities. The formalinauguration of a bilateral Defence

Alumni Association in that goldenjubilee year was highly appropriate,though some might say well overdue.In its first 12 months, the Associationhas attracted 700 members from bothIndonesia and Australia, mostly

younger officers with long careersahead of them.

The Association is fast becomingnot only a medium for members tokeep in touch, but also a vehicle for theexchange of ideas and opinions thatcontributes more broadly to militarydiplomacy and mutual understanding

between the two neighbors.The Indonesia-Australia Defence

Alumni was borne of a meetingbetween two officer cadets in 1974who lost touch for 35 years, then

pledged to create a forum so that theyoung men and women of our twoDefence organizations would neveragain have to lose touch.

It answers the call to action byboth President Yudhoyono and PrimeMinister Gillard to make our strategicpartnership a reality from thegrass roots up!

A Strategy of Co-operationThe Defence AlumniAssociation is fast

becoming not only a wayfor members to keep intouch, but also a vehiclefor the exchange of ideas

Since1961,hundredsof IndonesianandAustraliansoldiers, sailorsandairmen havevisitedeachothers countriestoshare skillsandtraining, enhancingthestrategic partnershipbetweenthet woneighbors.

IndonesiasAdmiralSuhartono,center,isaccompanied byAustraliasChiefof DefenseForce,Gen.DavidHurley,lef, duringavisit in2011.


6/7


7/7

australian alumni awards

Documents