ADRI and Indonesia: making connections

Earlier this month, a team of ADRI researchers travelled to Jakarta to meet with members of the Association of the Indonesian Private Universities (APTISI) to discuss implementation of a collaborative research project on leadership between ADRI and APTISI. Since February this year, Ismet Fanany and Rebecca Fanany have been forging connections with Indonesian representatives including Professor Edy Suandi Hamid, Rector of the Islamic University of Indonesia and Chair of APTISI, and Professor George Marantika, Rector of Immanuel Christian University and Head of APTISI’s International Office. They have since been joined by Professor Chris Hickey (Deakin), George Marantika and Professor Sutiyono, Rector of Universitas Hamka and General Secretary of APTISI, in Jakarta.

The ADRI team in Jakarta this month consisted of Professor Matthew Clarke, HoS, SHSS, Professor David Lowe, Director, ADRI, Associate Professor Ismet Fanany, SHSS and ADRI, Dr. Rebecca Fanany, SHSS and ADRI and Dr. Jonathan Ritchie, ADRI. The visit was intended as a workshopping opportunity in preparation for the APTISI Congress in Yogyakarta in February 2014.

Discussions were centred around developments in decentralised governance, and thoughts on leadership in anticipation of Indonesia's parliamentary elections next year.

ADRI Director, Professor David Lowe, said,

"What made these workshops so interesting were presentations by those such as Mr H. Kholiq Arif [Regent of the Autonomous Region of Wonosobo], who gave a comprehensive presentation about the region of Wonosobo in Central Java, elections in the region, the challenges he faces and his achievements. It showed the real experiences of an elected local leader who is important in the current system of governance in Indonesia."

Other notable presenters included:

• Dr Purwanto Katidjan (Universitas Mercu Buana’s Vice-Rector, Planning and Resource Development)
• Professor Didik Rachbini (Director, Post- Graduate Program, Universitas Mercu Buana)
• K.H. Bukhori Yusuf, MA. (Religious Leader and Member of Parliament)
• Major General (Ret.) Agus Gunaedi (former Commander of the Regional Command of Sriwijaya)
• Drs. Taufik Rohman, MSi. (Head of Department of Education, Special Capital Territory of Jakarta)

In the coming months, ADRI and APTISI researchers will work collaboratively to address seven key areas:

• Religious leadership and leaders
• Management of cultural and linguistic diversity
• Competency of leaders at the national level
• Global, national, local: influences on leadership
• History in the hands of national leaders
• Regional autonomy and national leadership

Keep up to date with ADRI’s Asia-Pacific connections on our website. And we’d like to extend a warm welcome to Jemma Purdey, an expert in Indonesian Studies, who has recently joined our team!