Southeast Asia

Eight Adelaide University students received a New Colombo Plan scholarship to study at universities in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines in 2026. This federal government initiative supports Australian undergraduate students to undertake study, language training, internships and work in the Indo-Pacific region, deepening international connections and enabling students to gain valuable global perspectives and networks. Across study areas including law, engineering, health, science and business, the 2026 cohort will apply discipline‑specific knowledge in diverse Southeast Asian contexts and engage in immersive academic and cultural experiences.

Adelaide University is supporting Vietnam’s national goal of developing a high-quality academic workforce for the future through an agreement with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training. Through this new agreement, Vietnamese academics have the opportunity to secure Adelaide University PhD scholarships as part of the Vietnamese Government’s Project 89 training scheme which aims to boost the qualifications, research capability and teaching quality of Vietnamese higher education lecturers. This collaboration reinforces Adelaide University’s commitment to capacity building in Vietnam while supporting ongoing research and collaboration between Australia and Vietnam.

In 2026, four Adelaide University staff will contribute to the Australia Awards Indonesia (AAI) Guest Lecture Program, supporting the University’s commitment to deepening education partnerships, enhancing regional capability, and fostering knowledge exchange with Indonesian partners. The lecture topics include leadership, critical thinking and innovation, and creating safe and resilient workplaces. 

An Adelaide University researcher is leading a PhD project examining health challenges of orangutans in rehabilitation centres in Indonesia to improve long-term outcomes for the species. Veterinarian Dr Fransiska Sulistyo from the University’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences will work with multiple orangutan rehabilitation centres in Indonesia to collect and analyse data from medical records and biological samples for pathogen testing. The information collected will be crucial for practitioners and decision makers in rehabilitation centres to improve how they manage the health of the orangutans, and in turn, how the success of orangutan reintroduction and conservation can be strengthened.