The 2023 Australian Alumni Awards, Celebrating 70 Years of Australian Scholarships in Indonesia

2023 marks 70 years since the first cohort of Indonesian Colombo Plan recipients arrived in Australia. 

Today, Australia has more than 200,000 alumni in Indonesia, including senior leaders of government and business.

For 70 years, our scholarships programs has positioned Australia as an important partner in building Indonesia’s human resource capacity to respond to social and economic development priorities, including in a post-COVID-19 era.

The Australian Embassy in Jakarta recognises and honours Australian alumni of all ages who are current and future leaders, influencers and change-makers.

Individually and collectively, Australian alumni are helping to shape the world around them. These alumni are highly talented, globally mobile and empowered by a world class Australian education.

Supported by the Australian Embassy, the Australian Alumni of Awards are the most distinguished honour given to alumni who have demonstrated achievements at a local, national, or international level.

The objectives of the Australian Alumni Awards are to:

• recognise and showcase the significant contribution made by Australian Alumni in their professional fields;
• position alumni as advocates and ambassadors for Australia within their respective fields;
• highlight and showcase Australia as an excellent education destination for prospective Indonesian students by profiling the exceptional achievements of those who have studied there;
• help broaden and deepen people-to-people links between Australians and Indonesians.

Alumni Awards category

The 2023 Alumni Awards recognise achievements in three categories, namely:

• Alumni of the Year
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award 
• Promoting Women's Empowerment Award

Who can apply?

The Alumni Awards are open to all Indonesian nationals who have graduated from a recognised Australian tertiary institution, including participants in short-term tertiary courses. All applicants, except past award winners, may re-apply.

Please check the inspirational stories of our previous award winners here.

How to apply?

Make your nominations here by 16 April 2023. We have a strong commitment to supporting women with disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities, people from equity target provinces and indigenous people. We strongly encourage nominations of these groups.

If you are an alumnus, you are encouraged to put yourself forward for the Award or nominate an alumnus who you think is deserving of the Award. With your nomination, you can help recognise alumni who have attained distinguished career success and performed outstanding service to their community and Indonesia.

Self-nominations are permitted. If you have applied yourself or are nominating someone, you are asked to provide supporting documents, including, but not limited to:

• Current biography or curriculum vitae;
• Personal stories, e.g. your/their experience of studying in Australia and how this has contributed to your/their achievements;
• Soft copy of awards or certificates of achievement; and
• Other items of interest, e.g. links to research publications, news articles, multimedia/audio-visual content and project websites.

Third party nominations will be accepted including from Australian universities, employers and community members.

Criteria for Selection

1. Alumni of the Year

Recognises visionary leadership and a commitment to innovation and best practices at a national or international level.

Selection criteria:

• Demonstrated visionary leadership and innovation and best practice at a national or international level;
• Evidence of outstanding contribution to and recognition by their profession or industry at a national or international level;
• Demonstrated commitment/contribution to promoting linkages between Australia and Indonesia

2. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award

Recognises achievement excellence in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. This can include; the creation of a successful enterprise, creative new ideas/design/products for industry, innovative research findings, or recognition for outstanding entrepreneurial leadership.

Selection criteria:

• Demonstrated excellent achievements in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. This can include the creation of/significant involvement in the founding of a successful enterprise, creative new ideas/design/products for the industry, innovative research findings, or recognition for outstanding entrepreneurial leadership; and
• Evidence of outstanding contribution to and recognition by their profession or industry
• Demonstrated commitment/contribution to promoting linkages between Australia and Indonesia

3. Promoting Women’s Empowerment and Social Inclusion Award

Recognises contributions by an alumnus towards promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment and social inclusion in the areas of leadership, decision making, promoting women’s economic empowerment and ending violence against women and children, and fostering diversity and social inclusion by improving the ability and opportunity of women, persons with disabilities, and indigenous people in fully participating in political, economic, and social life.

Selection criteria:

• Demonstrated personal commitment to principles and values of fairness, equality, equity and leadership;
• Evidence of outstanding contributions to and recognition by the community and their profession towards promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment and ending violence against women and children; and, promoting diversity and social inclusion by improving the ability and opportunity of women, persons with disabilities, and indigenous people in fully participating in political, economic, and social life;
• Demonstrated commitment/contribution to promoting linkages between Australia and Indonesia.

The selection panel may also consider:

• Degree of difficulty of the achievement and efforts invested;
• Achievements as an individual or as part of a group or organisation; and
• Magnitude and significance of impacts.

What are the selection processes?

The Australia Global Alumni team in Indonesia, in consultation with the Australian Embassy, will shortlist applications for review and validation by the Awards Selection Panel comprising of the Australia Global Alumni team in Indonesia, and representation from the Australian Embassy Jakarta.

The Awards Selection Panel will assess shortlisted nominations against the above selection criteria. Final candidates are then submitted to the Australian Embassy Jakarta for final consideration and approval. Applicants, nominees and nominators will be advised of the outcome of their nomination by the Australia Global Alumni team in Indonesia. Only winners and their nominators will be informed of the outcome.

Key dates

for more information, please read the FAQs here.

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION HERE: https://oz.link/awards2023.