Pandemics and the Art of Visual Persuasion

Visual aids play a crucial role in shaping public understanding and government priorities during a crisis. A new study of the UK government’s COVID-19 press briefings highlights the importance of ‘visual narrative assemblages’ in communicating policy.

Why facts don’t change minds?

Researchers want their findings used to make good decisions and take action. Yet, often their efforts don’t work as well as they hoped. New research identifies myths and solutions to effective science communications and impact for researchers.

Why science is getting less disruptive

A recent study found that the amount of groundbreaking scientific research has decreased in recent years. The study, published in the journal Nature, analysed millions of scientific papers and patents from the last century and discovered that papers and patents from the 2000s were more likely to improve on previous research rather than make new…

Ranking games

Global university rankings have become a crucial part of the higher education landscape. Yet some countries are shifting their focus from catching up to the West, potentially signaling a new era in higher education in these countries.

Agricultural change in South Sulawesi

In the district of Maros, next to Makassar – South Sulawesi’s capital and on the route of a new rail line – young people are quitting the village and heading to nearby cities.  It is now a familiar trend in developing economies. More youths are turning away from traditional farming roles. Even parents share a…

Indonesia Blueprint set to provide education bonanza

Education has been identified as a focal point in the Australian government’s Blueprint for Trade and Investment in Indonesia. The Blueprint aims to help Australian companies grow commercial links and develop new opportunities following the start of the Indonesia – Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA). According to the education chapter authors, the pandemic has…

Five ways to turn Bali into a ‘Zoom island’ for global remote workers

The Indonesian government recently announced plans to send 8,000 Jakarta-based civil servants to work remotely in Bali to help the tourism-dependent economy rebound from the pandemic.  If the government succeeds in fully vaccinating Bali residents, the idea makes a certain amount of sense.  Hotels and restaurants are struggling to survive. According to Statistics Indonesia, hotel occupancy rates averaged…

Electric dreams: Indonesia’s ambitious battery electric vehicle plans

Indonesia’s transportation sector consumes about half of the country’s energy. Motorcycles uses a significant part of it with numbers increasing by 41% from 104,118,969 units to 146,858,760 between 2013 and 2018. But the government wants to change this energy pattern. And it plans to do it in three ways: increase renewables, reduce petrol and make…

Australia’s healthcare innovation precincts as competitive advantage

Australia is a recognised leader in healthcare innovation, science and research. It produces novel science, cutting-edge technologies and a strong talent pool. The medical technologies (MedTech) and pharmaceuticals sectors are among the most innovative and significant contributors to R&D globally and within Australia. Australia contributes 3% of the world’s biomedical research. It is one of…

Taking Australia’s healthcare innovation advantage to Indonesia

The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA- CEPA) opens up new pathways for Australian business in healthcare. Two papers explore healthcare opportunities for Australian business in Indonesian. The first paper: Investing in Indonesian Healthcare: Opportunities for Australian businesses – identifies opportunities that the Indonesian healthcare presents. It outlines in particular, the role that foreign investment…

Smashing barriers for women in international science

Helen Fletcher-Kennedy, Eugene Sebastian and Martijn van der Kamp  30 May 2020 Thirty-five women scientists from leading research institutions across Europe and North America banded together recently to co-author a Times Higher Education article, “Women in science are battling both COVID-19 and patriarchy”. It is a clarion call to the global community that “…the pandemic has worsened long-standing sexist and racist…

Indonesia’s international education potential

Growing there requires three essentials by EUGENE SEBASTIAN and HELEN BROWN  In just a few months the vulnerabilities of the nation’s multi-billion-dollar education sector have been laid bare and forced providers to consider their international strategy. Education is Australia’s largest services export, valued at $35.2 billion, with many programmes centered around bringing students onshore. Student…

The challenges of working in international research teams

The Australia-Indonesia Centre was established in 2014 to help strengthen the bilateral research links between both countries. In the last three years, the Centre has undergone a significant transformation. It’s new collaborative research model that supports its Australian government funded Partnership for Australia-Indonesia Research (PAIR) program, is built on learnings from the Centre’s first five…