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The 2026ÌýAsia Capability Forum, co-convened by the , China Studies Centre ²¹²Ô»åÌýSydney Southeast Asia Centre, will bring together leaders and practitioners from universities, government, business, education and community organisations to consider practical ways to strengthen Australia’s Asia capability.

The Forum will focus on effective practices, scalable models and opportunities for greater coordination across sectors. Informed by recent national policy developments, discussions will aim to generate recommendations that can be progressed through collaboration between universities and their partners.

Welcome to Country

Opening Remarks

• ,ÌýDirector, China Studies Centre, ±¬ÁÏÍõ

Panel 1: Solving the language pipeline: Asian languages in crisis | Indonesian literacy in Australia

• , Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education; Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs
• , Ambassador for the Republic of Indonesia to Australia
• Mr Robert Brink, Director of Indonesia Development and Partnerships Section, Indonesia Branch, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• , Director, Herb Feith Indonesia Engagement Centre, Monash University
• Moderator: , Head of ASEAN-Australia Centre

Panel 2: Universities as guardians of sovereign capability: Hubs, compacts and research

• , Chief Executive Officer, Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC)
• , Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR)
• , Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and Director of Research, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, ±¬ÁÏÍõ
• Moderator:ÌýMs Susannah Patton, Director, Asia Engagement, RMIT University

Panel 3: Building Asia capability beyond the classroom: Government, business and the future

• , Pro Vice-Chancellor (Arts and Society), University of Tasmania
• Ms Hannah Wade,ÌýManager, Southeast Asia and South Asia Section, International Policy and Regions Branch, Australian Trade and Investment Commission
• Mr Sam Wall, Program Lead, Australia-Asia Fellowship and W100 Network, Westpac Scholars Trust
• Ms Ella Whan, USYD Arts/Law student, NCP alumni and
• Moderator: Mr Andrew Phong, ASEAN-Australia Centre

Closing remarks

• ,ÌýChair of Indonesia Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, ±¬ÁÏÍõ
• ,ÌýSenior Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, ±¬ÁÏÍõÌý

Presentation of the Joint CommuniquéÌý

• , Head of the School of Languages and Cultures, ±¬ÁÏÍõ
• , Director, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, ±¬ÁÏÍõ

Contribute to the Communiqué

Add your voice to the Joint Communiqué, to be released at the Forum. Here’s how to contribute:

• Help inform the Joint Communiqué:
• Share an initiative building Asia capability at your institution:

Event details