AsianScientist (Nov. 20, 2013) -Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Indonesian Vice President Dr. Boediono have launched a new Australia-Indonesia Center based at Monash University.
The Center will foster and further grow Australia’s business, cultural, education, research and community links with Indonesia. During his visit to Indonesia in October, Prime Minister Tony Abbott committed AU$15 million over four years to support the Center.
The University of Sydney is a founding partner in the center that is led by Monash University. Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney Dr. Michael Spence joined the Prime Minister and Vice President at the official launch at Parliament House in Canberra.
“The University of Sydney is proud of our contribution to Australia’s relationship with Indonesia. We have broad and deep links, with 85 academics in 12 faculties engaged in research in and with Indonesia. We are therefore very pleased to broaden the scope of our contribution as a founding partner in this new Center,” said Dr. Michael Spence.
The Australia-Indonesia Center will complement the University’s Sydney Southeast Asia Center – Australia’s interdisciplinary Southeast Asia research center. Sydney Southeast Asia Center director and Indonesia expert Associate Professor Michele Ford said the two centers will focus on real-world issues in the region.
“Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said that Indonesia is Australia’s most important overall relationship and I welcome the attention he is giving to this critical country,” said Associate Professor Ford. “I am confident the new Australia-Indonesia Center will find practical solutions to our countries’ shared challenges, as well as deepen our engagement in the region.”
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Source: The University of Sydney; Photo: Wikipedia Commons/CC.
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