Projects

Projects approved and underway

1. Herb Feith Chair for the Study of Indonesia
   To build the endowment to enable continuing support for the Herb Feith Chair for the Study of Indonesia, so far established as a five-year appointment at Monash University
2. Herb Feith Memorial Lecture
   To continue the annual high-profile public lecture in Melbourne and to hold a parallel event under the auspices of the Foundation in Jakarta and/or Yogyakarta, Indonesia
3. Herb Feith Graduate Scholarship in Conflict Resolution at Gadjah Mada University
   To offer further scholarships to Indonesian graduate students wishing to assist troubled areas of their homeland through access to professional training in conflict resolution
4. Herb Feith biography
   To facilitate completion of the first major biographical study of the late Herb Feith, being researched and written by Dr Jemma Purdey. The biography From Vienna to Yogyakarta: The life of Herb Feith was published by UNSW Press in June 2011.
5. Inside Indonesia
   To sponsor selected special issues of the quarterly journal Inside Indonesia which aims to increase international awareness of issues facing Indonesian people and promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the peoples of Indonesia and Australia.

Projects approved for implementation as funds allow

1. Alola Foundation Projects in Timor-Leste
   To join with the Alola Foundation, chaired by her Excellency Kirsty Sword Gusmao, wife of the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and Goodwill Ambassador for Education, Timor-Leste in the development of two projects in Timor-Leste:
   
   1. The training of East Timorese schoolteachers - one component of Alola's Friendship Schools Program, which links schools, children and communities in Timor and Australia aiming to improve learning and educational opportunities for children in both countries. The teacher training the Alola Foundation provides aims to boost the capacity of the teachers in participating schools in Timor to teach, to interact with their partners schools in Australia and to deliver the materials provided to them by the FSP programs. The Alola Foundation web site provides more information about these programs.
   2. Alola's Scholarship program could also accommodate new supporters and partners. The Scholarships program fulfils one of Alola's core missions: "to support women and their access to education"
2. Herb Feith Volunteer Assignment
   To identify and support suitably qualified Australians to work in civil society with partner organizations, particularly in the area of promoting and defending human rights. The project envisages one volunteer assignment per year. The primary focus would be Indonesia, however organizations of Burmese exiles in Thailand would also be eligible
3. Southeast Asia Visiting Scholar
   To enable a young Southeast Asian scholar to spend a semester (3-6 months) working as a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Centre of Southeast Asian Studies at Monash University to prepare their doctoral thesis for presentation in seminars and publications (in English) under the guidance of a member of academic staff of the university
4. Herb Feith Foundation Munir Memorial Scholarship
   To enable a young Southeast Asian human rights activist to study for the Castan Centre for Human Rights postgraduate degree Master of Human Rights Law, while completing a volunteer placement with a relevant NGO or legal practice in Melbourne.
5. Exchange program between Australian educational institutes (schools and universities) and Indonesian pesantren (Islamic boarding schools and universities)
   To foster greater understanding and dialogue, improving and building relationships at the level of civil society. Proposed short-to-medium term exchanges that may complement an existing teacher placement program run by Australian Volunteers International (AVI).

Projects under development for consideration (as proposed to the Board)

1. Annual workshops focusing on one area of Herb's interests each year and covering the areas of democratic governance, human rights, peace building, human security, conflict resolution, community development, and religious and cultural dialogue in different years.
   Purpose: Provide young people (secondary students/university students) the opportunity to come together and to share their ideas and propose solutions for real-life problems
2. Research Project on the Impact of the Australian Volunteer Program on Australia-Indonesia Relations
   Purpose: This research project would investigate the nature and strength of the AVI program's contribution to Indonesia-Australia relations and make recommendations on how to maximize impact in the future.
3. Development of future leaders of Timor-Leste
   Purpose: To bring potential future leaders of Timor-Leste to Australia and support them while they undertake a program of study in community development.
4. Assist with peace-building initiatives focusing on Indonesia
   Purpose: To explore informally ways to promote peace in the region.
5. Speaking tour of Australia of Pacific Island civil society leaders: Constructing a community of peoples
   Purpose: To develop better relations with our neighbours in the Pacific Islands
6. The dialogue of civilisations as a means of addressing intra-state, regional and global conflicts
   Purpose: To employ the dialogue of civilisations as a technique to develop imaginative educational programs to meet the needs of influential opinion-makers in a range of cultural, religious and political settings in addressing intra-state, regional and global conflicts
7. Indonesian music and dance tour of Australia
8. Promotion of the study of Indonesian language in Australia
9. Conference on Multiculturalism

For further information, to offer funds to a project or to propose a project, contact info@herb-feith-foundation.org