On Monday, 23 September 2024, the Australia Southeast Asia Business Exchange (A-SEABX) gathered key players in education and industry at Raffles Hotel, Jakarta, under the theme “Skills for a Greener Future”. The event fostered collaboration between Australia and Indonesia with a focus on achieving net-zero emissions and advancing green economy—both common goals that Australia and Indonesia plan to achieve hand in hand. UNPAR was invited to participate in A-SEABX, joining representatives from around 20 Australian educational and training institutions with expertise in green skills. The event presented valuable networking opportunities for UNPAR to explore potential partnerships and prioritize areas for collaboration. Representing UNPAR in the event were Ir. Catharina Badra Nawangpalupi (Vice Rector for Cooperation, Alumni, Innovation, and Business) and Annisa Paramita Wiharani (International Affairs Manager).
A-SEABX is part of the three priority initiatives under Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 to increase two-way trade and investment between Australia and Southeast Asia. This particular event aims to strengthen the education relationship between Australia and Indonesia by developing education and training collaboration across government, academia, and industry to work towards the transition to net zero and green economy. Accordingly, delegates of the A-SEABX came from backgrounds in the fields of education, government, and industry experts.
During the A-SEABX networking dinner, Catharina and Annisa had the opportunity to connect with Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams PSM, representatives from AusAID and Education and Research Counsellor Han Xiao Zhang. They discussed potential collaboration and UNPAR’s ongoing partnerships with Australian universities. Counsellor Xiao Zhang previously visited UNPAR in May 2024 as part of a courtesy meeting following his recent appointment as Education and Research Counsellor to Indonesia. UNPAR is part of the Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) accepting semester-based exchange from Australian universities and has sent UNPAR students to Australian universities through the IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards) and ASEACCU (Association of the Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities) programs. UNPAR’s participation in A-SEABX reflects our intention to expand existing collaborations with its Australian partners. With its presence in A-SEABX and initiatives like ACICIS, IISMA, and ASEACCU, UNPAR is not only fostering transformative exchange opportunities but is also paving the way towards a sustainable, greener future through collaborative education.