Latest news and information about upcoming events will be placed here as it becomes available.

International Workshop on Maritime Security in Southeast Asia, Brisbane, May 2011

Associate Professor Michele Ford attended an international workshop on maritime security in Southeast Asia in Brisbane in May 2011.

Azrul Ananda visits the University

Third year Indonesian Studies students with Mr Azrul Ananda (middle, in black), Vice-Director of Indonesia’s major newspaper, Jawa Pos and Commissioner of Indonesian Basketball League, on his visit to the University of Sydney. Dr Novi Djenar (right) and two members of the Indonesian Students Association (PPIA) were present to welcome him.

Emeritus Professor Peter Worsley - Oriental Society presentation

A painting of the Sumanasantaka: a peep into into court-life in Bali in the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century.

Date: Monday 29th March 2010
Time: 6:00-7:00 pm
Venue: Quad Refectory Room, Main Quadrangle Building, The University of Sydney

"The painting dates from the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century and gives some insight into the understanding which one Balinese painter of this period and his audience had of the epic poem at that time."
(Download a flyer containing full details of the presentation)

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Student Success

Mara Bollard and Alex Meekin (pictured) were placed first and second respectively in the Indonesian Government’s Indonesian Skills Competition for Non-Native Speakers in 2009.

Dr Novi Djenar

Dr Novi Djenar presenting at the Indonesia Council Open Conference, the largest Indonesian Studies conference outside Indonesia, which was hosted in July 2009 at the University of Sydney.

Guest at the 2009 SLC Prizegiving Night

Department Chair Dr Michele Ford and the Consul General of Indonesia, Mr Sudaryomo Hartosudarmo, at the 2009 SLC prize-giving ceremony.

Recent graduates

Dr Ulla Fionna (left) with university medallist Wayne Palmer and first class Honours graduate Anne Dickson, all from the Department of Indonesian Studies, following their graduation ceremony on 8 May 2009.

AIGRP Young Scholars Program

Self Rumbewas, Thushara Dibley and Wayne Palmer with the other participants in the AIGRP Young Scholars Program on the steps of the Indonesian Parliament building.

Celebrating 50 Years of Indonesian Studies at the University of Sydney

In 1958 the first classes on Indonesian language and culture were taught by Dr Frits van Naerssen. Van Naerssen went on to become the first Professor, and led the Department in its hey-day of the 1960s, when a new generation of Australians was discovering Asia and the focus of world politics was on the region. Graduates of the department have gone on to become distinguished academics not only in Australia, but also at institutions such as Princeton and Leiden Universities, and to become leading Australian writers, diplomats, school teachers, aid workers, journalists and internationally-successful business figures.

As part of the University celebrations to mark the last 50 years, an alumni reception was held on Friday 15th August to coincide with Indonesian Independence Day on the 17th. Well over 160 people attended, with entertainment provided by a musical ensemble from the Indonesian community and a Central Javanese dance performance by current student Tabitha Williams.

The department's illustrious list of alumni includes: the late Glenda Adams, one of Australia’s leading novelists; Les A. Murray, Australia’s foremost poet; media magnate Kerry Stokes; the leading landscape architect Made Wijaya; Angelo Gavrielatos, President of the National Education Union; Professor Toru Aoyama, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; Associate Professor Husein Mutalib of the National University of Singapore; Dr Lono Simatupang of Gadjah Mada University; Professor Michael Laffan of Princeton; former staff from Leiden such as Associate Professor Stuart Robson; academics from most of Australia’s universities (such as Professor Harry Aveling, Professor Barbara Hatley, Dr Angus MacIntyre, Associate Professor Richard Chauvel and Dr George Quinn); Terry Rolfe from the UN; Dr Helen Jarvis who is now a state secretary in Cambodia; federal civil servants in Immigration, Education, Defence, Foreign Affairs and other areas; political advisors; missionaries; journalists in SBS, The Sydney Morning Herald and elsewhere; and importantly teachers who have in turn had a major impact on the lives of generations of Australians.

More details of the event can be found in the September 2008 (Issue 6) edition of Language and Culture.

Ele Williams Interviewed

Honours student Ele Williams was interviewed for Indonesian national television while on the Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program in early 2008.

Dewan Pers Visit

Third year Indonesian language students discuss religion, politics and the media with members of Indonesia's National Press Council.

Australia-Indonesia Governance Research Partnership (AIGRP)

Ben Davis (top right) was one of five young Australian scholars selected for the Australia-Indonesia Governance Research Partnership (AIGRP) young scholars workshop in Jakarta on 3 December 2007. Michele Ford (bottom left) was on hand to help the young scholars prepare their presentations.