2024 marks 50 years of Australian diplomatic ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); as the Association’s first dialogue partner.
The first week of March has delivered a rich tapestry of national events. While the Asia Pacific Association of International Education (APAIE) conference in Perth bought 2,000 International Educators together, Melbourne hosted the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to mark the dialogues anniversary.
With Australian and ASEAN trade touching A$180 billion… it exceeds Australia’s two-way trade with Japan or the United States. The cohort of relationships benefits us all.
Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, addressing the Summit CEO Forum, announced the establishment of a $2 billion Southeast Asia Investment Financing Facility (SEAIFF). In response to recommendations from the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, it will be managed by Export Finance Australia to showcase and elevate Australian contributions to the regional knowledge economy.
Read the Prime Minister’s statement here.
Among a wide range of related initiatives to profile the relationship and progress engagement, the Prime Minister announced;
- $140 million over four years to extend the Partnerships for Infrastructure Program.
- Appointment of 10 Business Champions to facilitate greater commercial links between Australia and the economies of ASEAN.
- The launch of regional technology ‘Landing Pads’ in Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City.
- Improved visa access for Southeast Asia mobility to Australia.
Follow the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit program and announcements here.
The Southeast Asia Economic Strategy, still with fresh ink, noted, “while we have strong people-to-people links, an enduring challenge in both Australia and Southeast Asia is limited familiarity with each other’s economies, societies, business environments and market opportunities” (pg. 27).
… education is the key platform to raise this familiarity and awareness.
So, enter a Summit highlight… release of the Comprehensive Strategic Partners: ASEAN and Australia after the first 50 years report. Launched by Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon Tim Watts MP, it makes recommendations on themes and infrastructure to support future success in ASEAN-Australia engagement.
The growing ASEAN region represents over 660 million people across 10 nations. With Australia joining the diverse conversation, it is an ever-expanding community nudging 700 million and represents a broad spectrum of political and cultural diversity.
“ASEAN matters to Australia. If you look up from Australia, up north, you see the ASEAN nations at the centre of our region. That’s why it’s so important for us to continue to engage and so important for us to build on our long-standing partnership.” Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, outlines in the report.
Co-authored by Professor Nicholas Farrelly, Lina Alexandra, Sharon Seah and Kimly Ngoun, the report highlights the heavy Australian investment in developing educational ties with Southeast Asia and the need for an enlightened integration of students to creation a shared sense of purpose, direction and belonging.
The Summit and report focus on the youth voice through the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership, an organisation with members aged 18-29 from across Australia and each ASEAN nation; and future leadership development via the Australia-ASEAN Emerging Leaders Program that elevates ASEAN and Australian social entrepreneurs.
Ms. Racheline Tantular, Chief Executive Officer, ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership notes, “The vision and passion of young people across the region fills me with optimism for the next fifty years of ASEAN-Australia relations. It is a joy to see the openness, kindness, and respect we hold for one another and an honour to witness connections formed and strengthened that will impact our shared future. The best part is that we are only just getting started.”
In the context of youth and education, the report offers recommendations on how to develop a stronger Australia-ASEAN partnership. The Australian education sector has a rich kaleidoscope of regional representation. Through physically campuses, virtual and hybrid delivery; ranging from primary school through to post-secondary options; and engagement of a wide range of associated industry partners, community organisations and non-government stakeholders, there is a deep commitment to developing regional education connectivity.
Across the Australia Awards, the Australia for ASEAN Scholarships, the New Colombo Plan and other regional and country specific mobility schemes, Australia is deeply invested in ASEAN educational linkages. As a destination of choice for many ASEAN students, Australia has supported generations of Southeast Asian students – many who began their education journey in Australia; now continuing this connectivity through business and family ties. The ongoing maturation and growth of alumni chapters and engagement with diaspora communities will build deeper educational linkages between ASEAN countries and Australia.
Back to Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy. The first recommendation, as a key cross cutting enabler to drive greater commercial activity between Australia and the region, was… “National Cabinet should consider developing a whole-of-nation plan to strengthen Southeast Asia literacy in Australian business, government, the education and training system, and the community” (pg. 27.).
… a timely Summit reminder that investment in education locks in exponential rates of return, and delivers; regional growth and development, an uplift in inter-generational knowledge exchange and the enhancement of people to people understanding across the region.
Read the report here.
