Written by Anushka Vineet
This year’s conference, from the 16th to 19th June marked the fifteenth year of ANU Asia Pacific Week (APW). Described as an “interdisciplinary conference that brings together high-calibre students and young professionals from around the world”, it is a four-day opportunity to equip the young leaders of tomorrow with the tools to be “compassionate leaders of change in the dynamic Asia and Pacific regions”.
The week was revitalised in 2011 as a student-run event and predates the College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP), which was established in 2006.
Dr Nicholas Hoare is the current academic co-convenor for APW and offered his time following this year’s event to speak with Observer.
Hoare states that previously APW was “an amalgam of graduate summer schools all hosted by various parts of the ANU”, where “HDR scholars would come to ANU in late January/early February from around the country and the region and would spend the week focused on their particular area of study”. The graduate program started in 2004.
This year’s conference hosted 49 delegates from 15 universities across nine countries. The delegates participated in a networking night, multiple panel discussions led by renowned industry experts, and various workshops immersing them in different cultures. Previous keynote speakers included former Prime Ministers such as Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd, and Malcolm Fraser.
Observer was fortunate to speak with ANU Student Vivien Deng, the Director of APW.
Deng stressed the importance of recognising that “rather than a celebration, APW is a platform for discussion and exchange”. Deng believes that there is immense value in “Asia and Pacific literacy in strengthening our engagement with the regions”, which is often “overlooked by Australian policymakers”.
Thus, APW for Deng is an opportunity “to facilitate dialogue and relationships between the future change-makers of these important regions”.
The delegate selection process is competitive, with a diverse cohort from around the world. Deng states that the selection process is dependent on the APW committee, and that delegates must have “personal aspirations that aligned [sic] with the goal of APW, and leadership qualities with a vision for positive change”.
Although APW is hosted by CAP, the conference is open to individuals from any discipline. Deng mentions that “though many topics and events are humanities-focused, however, as is the nature of the humanities, it can be applied to any other field”.
Like many other programs, APW was not immune to the financial changes imposed by the ANU, with Deng noting that “a significant challenge this year was the reduced budget”.
As a consequence, this year the APW team was “extremely creative in lowering costs without impacting the quality of the conference”. This year, APW partnered with the Food Co-op for an inexpensive lunch and was also allowed to use ANU accommodation, like Yukeembruk, for delegates.
Another historical challenge is that the conference occurs during winter break, which can impact the panellists as they “are away either on holiday or fieldwork”.
Dr Hoare stressed the importance, noting that though APW “is fortunate to have the support of CAP and its Dean, any further sponsorship was very hard to come by this year, despite being successfully tapped into in previous years”.
It is an immense task to organise the event; thus, members of the organising committee can be credited for their work. Certain eligible students, depending on their degree, can enrol in ASIA3023, which provides 6 academic credits. Otherwise, students can gain up to 90 ANU+ volunteering hours.
Each year, the organising committee changes, and the selection process is competitive, with interviews conducted by both the Student Director and the academic convenors. Applications open during summer break, and one can apply through ANU’s Global Programs Portal.
Graphics by ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
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