The Indonesia Project, established in 1965 with an initial grant from the Ford Foundation, is a center of research and graduate training on the Indonesian economy. It is located in the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, Crawford School of Economics and Government, part of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific in Canberra.
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In 1963 when he became head, Department of Economics in the Research School of Pacific Studies, Professor Heinz W. Arndt decided to devote substantial resources from the new department to the study of the Indonesian economy. He worked to recruit research fellows and doctoral students, established a relationship with numerous Indonesian institutions and international academics, and initiated a publication program. These initiatives quickly matured into the Indonesia Project. As part of the activities of the project, the academic journal Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies (BIES) was established in 1965. Several academic staff were recruited to work on the Indonesian economy including Dr David Penny and Professor Panglaykim. Among the young scholars awarded scholarships to work on various aspects of Indonesian economy shortly after the establishment of the project were Anne Booth, Howard Dick, Stephen Grenville, Hal Hill, Chris Manning, Peter McCawley and Phyllis Rosendale.[1]
The project has sponsored many activities related to studies of the Indonesian economy since the mid 1960s. These include the following:
During the early years after the project was established, the main activities focused on economic issues in Indonesia. Later, and especially after Professor J.A.C. Mackie[2] became head of the Department of Political and Social Change at the ANU in 1980, the activities of the Indonesia project widened to include issues in other areas such as politics, government, social studies, and a range of other topics. Senior staff of the Department of Political and Social Change such as Dr Ed Aspinall and Dr Greg Fealy, and of the School of Culture, History and Language such as Dr Marcus Mietzner, are now frequently involved with Indonesia project events.
The Project has an active policy of working in close partnership with Indonesian colleagues. Well-known Indonesian scholars and public policy makers who have worked with the project since the mid 1960s include Professor Armida Alisjahbana, Professor Boediono, Dr Hadi Soesastro, Dr Mohamad Chatib Basri, Professor Mari Pangestu, Professor Panglaykim, Professor Mubyarto, Professor Mohamad Sadli, Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and Dr Thee Kian Wie.
Professor Arndt led the Indonesia Project from its inception until 1980. Peter McCawley took over management from 1980 to 1986, followed by Professor Hal Hill from 1986 to 1998. Associate Professor Chris Manning led the Project from 1998 to 2011. Associate Professor Budy Resosudarmo is the current Head of the Indonesia Project.[3]
The Project has received strong external funding support from both the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and AusAID for many years. Staff of the Project cooperate closely with AusAID staff in both Canberra and in Jakarta.