Griffith University supports the Sustainable Development Goals

Australia Awards Short Course on Foreign Policy: Strategic Equilibrium in the Indo-Pacific

Professor Ian Hall

Project Description

The geostrategic challenges facing Australia, Indonesia and our region today are sharper and more diverse than those faced before the COVID19 pandemic. Intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are significant challenges to international peace and security. Geostrategic competition also risks undermining the regional and global cooperation needed to respond to the health, economic and food security challenges posed by the pandemic. In addition, policymakers are increasingly required to respond to new and emerging security issues, including in cyber security, countering disinformation and securing critical infrastructure. Australia and Indonesia have committed to working together to navigate these changes and promote a vision of the region that is aligned with our shared interests. This course is intended to further deepen Indonesian policymakers and analysts’ understanding of foreign and strategic policy challenges and the options available for Indonesia and Australia to respond.

Project Personnel and Beneficiaries

The Participants’ organisations and government agencies including Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia, ASEAN Secretariat, Kompas, CNN Indonesia and other institutions.

Outcomes to Date

Each participant needed to complete an Award Project on completion of the course to implement their learnings from the program.

To date some of the successful projects have included, Second Track Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific: Exploring the Strategic role of Australia and Indonesia Muslim Religious Leader in promoting and maintaining peace, stability and harmony in the region, Asymmetric decentralization to strengthen the capacity of local government in border area, Developing the Potential Cooperation in Renewable Energy Sector (Biomass) between Indonesia and Australian Government and Localising Diplomacy, Strengthening Indonesia-Australia people to people engagement through intercity cooperation.

Project Significance

The program aligns with SDG goal 16, “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions” and goal 17 “Partnerships for the Goals” focusing on the knowledge and tools required to deepen policymakers and analysts’ understanding of foreign and strategic policy challenges.

The course focused on seven key competencies:
– Analyse foreign and strategic policy challenges and the options available for Indonesia and Australia to respond.
– Explore ways Australia and Indonesia can continue to work together to navigate foreign and strategic policy challenges, including health, economic and food security challenges posed by the pandemic, and promote a vision of the region that is aligned with shared interests.
– Analyse geostrategic competition and its impact on regional and global cooperation.
– Identify and analyse ways foreign policy can help respond to new and emerging security issues, including in cyber security, maritime security, non-traditional and human security threats; countering disinformation and securing critical minerals, supply chains and critical infrastructure.
– Understand Australian Government’s responses to the emerging foreign policy issues.
– Analyse the role of different stakeholders in responding to foreign and strategic policy challenges.
– Develop networks between individuals and organisations in Indonesia and Australia to further enhance collaboration and sharing of ideas and innovations.

Co-authors
Professor Caitlin Byrne, International Development Unit, Griffith International
Project start
2023
Project end
2024
Academic area
Griffith Asia Institute
Project location
  • Nathan
Project geographical impact
  • International
Publication date
July 1, 2024
Last updated
9:12 am, July 1, 2024