Meeting Kendari research partners for broader economic impact
Kendari, 15 October 2025
The Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Research (PAIR) program has met leaders in Southeast Sulawesi to discuss research projects and understand the government’s priorities in helping its people.
The PAIR Sulawesi research program is funded by the governments of Indonesia and Australia – the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MoHEST) through the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP), and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The PAIR team visited the offices of the Vice Mayor of Kendari and learned of the city’s initiatives in climate and health and where PAIR research complements the work being done. This is the first time PAIR research is being done in the province with the support of both governments.
Australian Consul-General in Makassar, Todd Dias, said the PAIR program is about two countries working together to develop research evidence that leads to improving the livelihoods of people in coastal communities.
The Australia-Indonesia Centre is implementing the PAIR program and Executive Director Eugene Sebastian thanked the Vice Mayor for the warm welcome and supportive attitude in working together.
On Tuesday the University of Halu Oleo hosted a roundtable led by the Secretary of Southeast Sulawesi Drs. Asrun Lio, M. Hum, Ph.D and the university Vice Rector, Professor Dr. Ir. Takdir Saili, M. Si.
The PAIR team outlined the research and the partner universities from both countries working together on issues around climate and health.
The roundtable heard from several invited government and community representatives and they expressed a strong desire to ensure the research took the experiences of women and people with a disability into account. Dr Sebastian assured them this was a key element of the program.
The team also visited Keluruhan Lapulu, a government-level facility that provides support to the local coastal community. UHO Professor Yani Taufik explained how the facility will inform research into the impact of climate change on people living near the coast
The PAIR Sulawesi program is funded by the governments of Indonesia and Australia with the support of the AIC’s ten founding university partners and included nine regional universities in Sulawesi.
List of attending organisations:
- The Office of the Governor of Southeast Sulawesi
- Australian Consulate-General in Makassar/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
- Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MoHEST)
- The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP)
- Universitas Halu Oleo (UHO)
- Regional Development Planning Agency of Southeast Sulawesi
- Health Office of Southeast Sulawesi
- Environmental Office of Southeast Sulawesi
- Regional Board for Disaster Management of Southeast Sulawesi
- Social Office of Southeast Sulawesi
- The Office of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning of Southeast Sulawesi
- Regional Development Planning Agency of Kendari
- Environmental Office of Kendari
- Regional Board for Disaster Management of Kendari
- Social Office of Kendari
- The Office of Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning of Kendari
Learn more
Partner universities:
Ten university partners in the AIC consortium: Airlangga University, Bandung Institute of Technology, Gadjah Mada University, Hasanuddin University, IPB University, Monash University, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, University of Indonesia, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland.
Nine regional partners join PAIR Sulawesi: Gorontalo State University, Halu Oleo University, Sam Ratulangi University,Tadulako University, West Sulawesi University, Mulawarman University, Kalimantan Institute of Technology, Pattimura University, Khairun University
Media enquiries to:
Helen Brown, Head Communications and Outreach
Mobile and WA + 61 417 359 177 | +62 811 190 5033
Featured / Berita utama
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