Graduation 2025: Forging deeper connections with our closest neighbour

Wandering around the UNSW Canberra campus, perhaps sipping an AAFCANS coffee or walking around the parade ground to the gym, it’s hard to imagine a more different environment from an Indonesian fishing village.

However, that’s where UNSW Canberra graduate Jack Harrison sought inspiration for his honours thesis.

Jack’s academic journey has been defined by a commitment to understanding Australia’s closest neighbour, Indonesia, and its complex socio-economic landscape.

His interest in Indonesia was driven by a desire to broaden his horizons and strengthen his ties to the region.

“Indonesia is our closest neighbour, with which Australia and the Australian Defence Force has had a storied history,” Jack said.

“I wanted to gain a professional appreciation for the Indonesian language and culture in order to be a more rounded individual and broaden my horizons in the near region.”

Jack’s honours thesis explored inequality in Indonesia’s fishing communities through social, cultural and economic lenses. His research revealed that Indonesian fishermen continue to suffer from declining market access and poor educational progression. They are falling behind those in other industries that better align with Indonesia’s political emphasis on modernity and rapid economic growth.

Jack’s work proposed a forward-thinking solution to deal with these growing inequalities, using a social enterprise approach that focuses on community empowerment.

During his time at university, Jack was able to witness life in the Indonesian communities that he studied during two immersive trips to the country.

In his first visit, during his undergraduate studies, Jack undertook a two-week intensive language course at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta. And on his second visit, while completing his honours, he travelled across Indonesia, visiting fishing villages in East Java and West Sumatra and was able to present his research at universities in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Padang and Banyuwangi. These opportunities were supported by the New Colombo Plan and the ANU Indonesia Project Student Travel Research Grant.

As he embarks on a career in the Royal Australian Navy, Jack is confident his Indonesian language proficiency and his time spent engaging with communities there will be invaluable.

“Within six months of my graduation, it is likely that I will get to put the language into practice, either through our ongoing collaboration with the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (the Indonesian Armed Forces) or in operational service in our northern approaches,” Jack said.

“It will also be useful in deepening relationships with our partners in Indonesia to facilitate further operational successes and potentially open new avenues for progression in my career.”

Reflecting on his experience, Jack underscores the value of language studies and why he would strongly recommend them to other students.

“For most students entering UNSW Canberra, their future careers will be defined by the connections and relationships they create,” Jack said.

“Studying languages at university allows students to multiply those connections across languages, borders and cultures to unite the region and better understand the world.”