​Cooperation in school education, higher education, joint research and enhancing two-way student mobility were among the outcomes of the 11th Australia-Indonesia Joint Working Group (JWG) in Canberra on 14 November.

International Group Manager, Anne Baly, welcomed the senior delegation led by Dr Ananto Kusuma Seta of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture.

Education and research are central pillars of Australia’s relationship with Indonesia. Over 13,000 Indonesians studied in Australia in 2013, contributing over $500 million to the national economy.  Australia is Indonesia’s third-highest research publication partner, after Japan and the United States, and joint research publications with Australian researchers account for 14 per cent of Indonesia’s published research output. 

The JWG builds on the recent renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in education and training by the Education Ministers of both countries during the East Asia Summit Education Ministers’ Meeting in Laos on 12 September.

Outcomes of the JWG include commitments to joint cooperation in:

• school education, in relation to curriculum development, teaching and learning, and teacher quality
• higher education, in relation to joint research collaboration and researcher mobility
• increased student mobility between the two countries, including through Endeavour scholarships and fellowships and the New Colombo Plan, and
• supporting skills, workforce and provider mobility, quality assurance and qualification recognition across the region.

Ms Astrida Upitis, Counsellor (Education & Science), is the department’s representative in Jakarta with responsibility for building our education and science partnerships with Indonesia.

Contact: Ms Saloni Sharan, Director, South & South East Asia, International Group  (02) 62409936