The Australia-Indonesia Centre has capped off a successful annual research event .
Bringing together more than 200 researchers, government officials and community leaders from both countries, the PAIR Annual Meeting examined its work, progress and next steps on projects which directly impact local communities and strengthen the broader binational relationship.
Held at Hasanuddin University in Makassar, the PAIR Annual Meeting 2026 was attended by high-level officials including Indonesia Director-General Doctor Fauzan Adziman and Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia Roderick Brazier. Indonesia’s Minister for Higher Education and Research, Professor Brian Yuliarto, sent opening remarks via video.
He said PAIR is a partnership based on a desire for two nations to work as equal partners on shared priorities and deliver real benefits to society.
“This is not simply a collaboration between institutions, it’s a long term investment in mutual trust, scientific excellence and shared prosperity,” said Professor Yuliarto.
The benefits of working together were echoed by Director-General Dr Adziman who used the Indonesian term gotong royong to describe his departmental vision of creating collective action and collaboration, and invited PAIR researchers to contribute to a national science and technology convention.
Across four days of conversation the Australia-Indonesia Centre brought together experts to discuss the challenges of climate change in the green energy transition, the seaweed industry and health systems. The event enabled 14 research teams to present their work from the first year and receive feedback from policy and civil society leaders.
According to the Minister Yuliarto, the three research priorities of PAIR are “highly relevant to Indonesia national priorities as well as the global sustainable development goals.”
Achieving this scale of integrated impact is a complex logistical and diplomatic undertaking. Uniting 19 distinct universities—including nine regional institutions across Sulawesi—requires an infrastructure of trust and a depth of operational experience that is built over time. It maintains a permanent team in both Australia and Indonesia, with years of experience navigating the governance and administrative requirements of dozens of universities and two government systems.
This AIC capability ensures the program can reach scale to deliver institutional benefits and regional impact. Bringing experts and researchers together to work with communities ensures that solutions are targeted at the problem and shaped by real needs.
The feedback process is a critical and continuous part of PAIR research, with the teams receiving face-to-face guidance during an intensive full day session attended by leaders from all six provinces involved in the work. This flagship initiative is not just about the quality of the research, but a demonstration of what can be achieved when deep bilateral partnerships are put into practice.
Also joining in Makassar was Dr. Ayom Widipaminto, Director for Research Facilitation at the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), Mr Todd Dias, Consul-General of Australia in Makassar, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Ms Paula Gerhardt, Counsellor of Knowledge, Innovation and Humanitarian, also at DFAT.
The shared challenges our nations face—from the urgent transition to Net Zero to the development of sustainable circular economies— require targeted action that can be sustained at the grassroots level. An example of this is the work being done to extract an element from raw seaweed which can be used in higher value products to generate another form of farmer income.
Our collaborative research is designed to directly assist communities across the region to adapt and thrive. By translating shared knowledge into practical solutions, we are developing innovative seaweed farming, designing climate-resilient local systems and paving the way for greener health facilities in remote areas.
Looking ahead, the conversations held in Makassar will help ensure the research insights are translated into continued action. The teams will produce policy briefs for stakeholders and the public, outlining the work being done and actionable recommendations to date.
With a trusted and long-term presence in the region, the AIC is moving to support further economic empowerment around food, energy and water security in Eastern Indonesia, all while building university capability with its model of research and collaboration.
The Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Research program, or PAIR, is jointly funded by the governments of Australia and Indonesia, with support from the ten AIC foundation universities from both countries and nine regional Indonesian universities involved in the PAIR Sulawesi program. Monash University is the lead agency for the Australia-Indonesia Centre.
