In this Issue:
Green Growth in a Global Financial Crisis
Sustainable Solutions for China
Safeguarding Human Rights in Nepal
Australia India Pharmaceutical Collaboration
Child Under-Nutrition in Pakistan
International Study on Peace and Conflict
Dryland Farming in India
Inside Australia: Politics Society and Culture
Internship applications for Korea underway
Visits and Meetings
Staff News
Upcoming Activities
Green Growth in a Global Financial Crisis
Associate Professor Robyn McConchie, Director of RIAP, has appeared on Business Today speaking about green growth collaboration opportunities between Australia and Korea, following her visit to Seoul in July with the delegation from the Australia-Korea Next Generation Leadership Program (NGLP).
During the interview, which went live-to-air across Australia and the Asia Pacific region on ABC 2 on Wednesday 15 July, Associate Professor McConchie discussed the opportunity that the global financial crisis (GFC) has created for countries to invest in green growth and renewable energy, and the subsequent potential for the creation of green jobs.
Korea has announced that they will spend around two per cent of their gross domestic product on green growth and sustainability, committing $84 billion to green growth technologies.
“The global financial crisis has provided an ideal opportunity, and indeed a catalyst, for those countries that are providing stimulus packages to put substantial amounts of money towards green technologies and renewable energies. There aren’t many opportunities such as this, where there is a huge injection of money going into the economies, to put aside some towards green growth”, said Associate Professor McConchie.
“It is a really substantial investment. This plan stemmed from President Lee Myung-bak’s announcement in August 2008, on the 60th anniversary of the Republic of Korea, that he was taking South Korea down a green growth path.”
Since January this year, as the world has moved deeper into the financial crisis, President Lee’s ambition has been sharpened and further endorsed as a way of pulling South Korea out of the GFC. He substantiated this in early July with the $84 billion green growth announcement.
The investment is extremely substantial for a country of about 48 million people, and just over the physical size of Victoria. China, with a population of 1.3 billion, and the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, is spending $176 billion – 30 per cent of its $586 billion fiscal stimulus package, and about double that of Korea – on low-carbon projects. The US has set aside $39 billion as a ‘green stimulus’ of a total $787 billion stimulus bill for the Department of Energy, hoping to create lots of sustainable and high-technology green jobs. And Australia is spending about 9 per cent of its $42 billion stimulus package on green initiatives.
“You would have to say there is room for more to be done. In comparison to these countries, South Korea is doing a mammoth job in this area”, said McConchie.
Certainly the South Koreans are seeing this as a way of generating new jobs, with between 1.5 and 1.8 million jobs predicted, equating to $162 billion dollars over five years. There are a number of reports that state that green growth does stimulate new jobs. A report that has recently come out from the Copenhagen Climate Council states that in the European Union alone in the last five years there have been 60,000 new jobs generated in wind energy.
“Closer to home there are reports that say that, in the Hunter Valley for example, if there is a switch towards renewable technologies then there will be somewhere in the vicinity of between 3000 and 10,000 new jobs created in the region. And this would take into account the switch from coal generated jobs across to renewable energy jobs”, says Associate Professor McConchie.
The NGLP delegation found that there are significant opportunities for collaboration between Korea and Australia. Many of Australia’s innovative technologies never make it off the design floor simply because there is not the market to warrant further development. Korea on the other hand has a history of developing technologies and exporting them worldwide. The team identified that there is huge potential for technology exchange particularly in solar, wind, LED lighting and stationary hydrogen fuel cell technology in new Australian residential and commercial developments. There is also potential for collaboration and exchange of views on the carbon trading scheme. Australia has a range of experience to impart from the current implementation of its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
“Given that there has been so much investment right across the globe in green technologies, it is really time for communities to collaborate and to work together towards solving some of these climate change problems”.
The NGLP program is managed by RIAP and supported by the Australia-Korea Foundation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Sustainable Solutions for China
In recent years China has reached a critical stage of socioeconomic development, with record economic growth and significant structural social changes. However an overemphasis on economic development has led to extensive stratification of society, and in turn a widening gap between the development of rural and urban areas, and a deterioration of the environment.
Sixteen senior executives from the Chinese Government’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) visited Sydney in early June to spend two weeks learning about Australian public service standards that focus on local and regional needs and adhere to international principles of sustainable development.
The program, designed and delivered by RIAP, was funded by AusAID through the Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship program, which aims to develop leadership skills, build partnerships in the Asia Pacific, and address priority regional issues.
The course, entitled Management of Transformation of Public Sector Systems and Services for Sustainable Development, introduced the Chinese leaders to reforms that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, and strategies on how to tackle the urgent and growing challenges of socioeconomic disparity in China. It was held at the University of Sydney and engaged the knowledge and expertise of academics and experts from the University of Sydney, the University of Technology Sydney, and the NSW Government.
RIAP’s International Development Manager, Philipp Ivanov, says the program developed for the NDRC guided the executives on how to increase capacity by improving the efficiency of public services in China.
“The rural and urban aspect of public service delivery in Australia is highly relevant to China’s commitment to reform its public sector in areas such as governance, management of public funds, private public partnerships, economic sustainability, and administration and planning,” says Mr Ivanov. “Our program brought together the insight of a range of expert speakers, who were able to explain Australia’s innovative and sustainable government practices and how they might be applied in China.”
Safeguarding Human Rights in Nepal
A year-long AusAID funded research program aiming to improve understanding, knowledge and respect for Nepal’s human rights legal obligations amongst key actors in the country’s criminal justice system is coming to a conclusion. The program, called Safeguarding Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System in Nepal, is funded under the Public Sector Linkages Program scheme and designed and delivered in close collaboration with Dr Ben Saul, Director of the Sydney Centre for International Law (SCIL), and the Kathmandu School of Law in Nepal. After reviewing various legal education sources on human rights in the criminal justice system the researchers formulated and disseminated a model legal curriculum pertinent to the Nepalese context. The project also involved training Nepalese police and prosecutors in human rights in the criminal justice system.
Over the past year, Dr Saul has travelled to Nepal on three separate occasions with colleagues from SCIL. The steering committee, comprising of key government and non-government stakeholders in the legal education and criminal justice sectors in Nepal, was established during the first trip in September 2008. Their key role was to oversee the activity formulation, implementation and review. The review of the curriculum, and preparation, translation and printing of workshop materials were undertaken during the second trip in April 2009, and the final training workshops for police and prosecutors in the rural districts of Nepal were delivered from 20-26 July 2009.
Australia India Pharmaceutical Collaboration
Developing pharmaceutical industry capability has been defined as a priority area for both the Australian and Indian governments, and in early June Thomas Soem from RIAP escorted eight Australian pharmaceutical experts to India to meet with Indian counterparts and discuss potential collaboration opportunities between the two countries.
The five-day workshop, entitled Plant Nutraceuticals and Bioactive Molecules: A growth opportunity for the Pharmaceutical Industry in Australia and India, brought together Australia’s leading minds in herbal medicine and bioactive molecule synthesis research and teaching, and recognised leaders and key contributors to pharmacological policy and development in India.
The workshop was hosted by the JSS College of Pharmacy in Ooty, India. High-potential areas of collaboration on plant nutraceuticals and bioactive molecules were identified and agreed between the two nations, and the visit resulted in an agreed plan of action for developing a joint research program.
Child Under-Nutrition in Pakistan
In an effort to increase the capacity of the Pakistani Government to better deal with child under-nutrition as part of Pakistan’s Millennium Development Goals, the University of Sydney hosted a team of senior Pakistani pediatricians and medical researchers from Islamabad and Karachi in June.
The team, led by Dr Tabish Hazir, of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, and Associate Professor Michael Dibley, of the University of Sydney School of Public Health, travelled to Australia to learn about large scale health epidemiology and statistical analysis. Funded under the AusAID Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship program, the project ran for two weeks, with two of the fellows staying for an extra four weeks of in-depth statistical training.
As well as undertaking training, the delegation visited numerous health care sites around Sydney, including NSW Department of Health headquarters, the Swine Flu call centre in North Sydney, and the world-class facilities at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Training was also undertaken at the University of Western Sydney, including disaster epidemiology, and at the Australian National University in Canberra. The training provided numerous opportunities to link with health experts in NSW, and also to network with health epidemiologists from Vietnam who were visiting Australia as AusAID Fellows at the same time.
The delegates will now be able to transfer the statistical analysis skills they have learned during the program into clinical and research settings in Pakistan, with the aim of augmenting pre-existing community health programs to provide primary health care services to underprivileged communities in Pakistan.
International Study on Peace and Conflict
Nineteen students from high schools and universities across South Korea were selected by the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs to visit the University of Sydney from 18-22 May to learn about Australian perspectives on peace and conflict. The international study program is one of many offered to young people across Korea to enhance their global understanding and promote active citizenship.
The program was designed and delivered by RIAP in collaboration with the University of Sydney’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and academics from the Faculty of Arts and the Sydney Centre for International Law. During the five-day program, students attended lectures on Australian culture, politics and foreign policy, and examined peace and conflict case studies.
Other program highlights included a networking opportunity with members of the University of Sydney’s Politics Society and former Australian ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Mr Mack Williams, and the President of the NSW United Nations Youth Association. At the end of the program, the students delivered a presentation that demonstrated what they had learnt on the broad theme of peace and conflict, and more importantly their new perspectives on the longstanding North-South Korea conflict.
Dryland Farming in India
Research undertaken by the World Agriculture Group reveals that by 2010, India will have to produce 300 million tonnes of food grains to feed its 1.2 billion population. This target cannot be realised from irrigated areas alone and is heavily dependent on its 47 million hectares of dry lands contributing to approximately 42 per cent of the total food grain production of the country. Thus, dryland farming will continue to play a dominant role in India’s agricultural production, and capacity-building of sustainable and effective dryland farming will remain an important development issue in India, particularly in terms of improving the standard of living of farmers residing in these areas. To address this issue, RIAP and the University’s Plant Breeding Institute (PBI) in the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources were awarded a grant by AusAID under its Public Sector Linkages Program to enhance India’s capacity in the exploitation of wheat genetic resources for improved dryland farming.
The project will build capacities in the exploitation of wheat genetic resources for improved dryland farming in India. Australia, represented by Professor Richard Trethowan at the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute, is a highly regarded international plant breeder, and is thus well positioned to assist India in the improvement of its dryland farming techniques.
Inside Australia: Politics, Society and Culture
For the sixth consecutive year, RIAP hosted 19 students from Canada who attended a five-week study program on Australian Politics, Society & Culture. The program has been designed for the University of Toronto and is one of twelve international summer abroad programs offered to their students. So far over 100 students have chosen study at the University of Sydney.
While here, students attended lectures on indigenous culture and history, Australian politics and foreign policy, cultural change in contemporary Australia and Australian media. The academic program was delivered by a dedicated team of lecturers from the Koori Centre and the Faculty of Arts. Related site visits include walking tours of the Rocks and the multicultural suburb, Auburn, trips to the NSW Art Gallery and National Museum in Canberra, and both the State and Federal Parliament House. A mix of lectures and site visits provided students the opportunity to both learn about and experience this beautiful country. The five-week program concluded at the end of July.
AKIP 2010 underway
Australian tertiary students have once again been given the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of Korean culture, business practices and language during an invaluable international experience. Applications for AKIP 2010 closed on 7 August 2009, and eight successful interns have now been selected. They will travel to Korea for their seven week internship in January 2010.
The Australia Korea Internship Program (AKIP) program is run annually by RIAP, giving students from across Australia the chance to travel to Korea and undertake a two month work placement within a high-profile organisation. Students studying fields such as business, economics, commerce, marketing, finance, ITC, accounting, international trade are encouraged to apply.
AKIP is an initiative of the Australia–Korea Foundation at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and aims to generate closer Australia-Korea relations and understanding by developing contacts and exchanges between Australians and Koreans. It has been managed by RIAP, in conjunction with the Korea-Australia Foundation, since its inception in 2004.
Visits and Meetings
RIAP Director, Associate Professor Robyn McConchie travelled to the USA in early May. She met with the World Bank in Washington DC to discuss potential projects, and University of Southern California to develop a partnership for training in Asia Pacific under the Association of Pacific Rim Universities umbrella.
On 17 March, Philipp Ivanov, International Development Manger (Training and Education) at RIAP, travelled to Canberra to attend the Australia-China Business Council Annual Networking Day at Parliament House. The conference was attended by the Australian Minister for Trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, and included talks on Recent Developments in China and the Bilateral Relationship, Australian Trade and Investment in China, Australia-China FTA Negotiations, Chinese Investment in Australia, and the Global Financial Crisis.
Staff News
Deputy Director Emma Walters returned from 8 months maternity leave on 1 July. Emma welcomed her second child, Bob, into the world. Her oldest child, Archie, is very proud to have become a big brother.
RIAP welcomes Kristi Maroc, our new Media and Communications Manager, a role established to further the promotion and professional exposure of the organisation. Kristi has an extensive background within media and public relations. She has a Masters of Journalism, as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Communications and Marketing), and has worked in a number of high-profile media organisations – as a Radio Producer with the ABC, a Production Assistant with Channel Ten Television, and a Media Researcher with Havas Media in London. She has more recently focused her work on media relations and strategic communications, as the National Marketing and Communications Manager of Special Olympics Australia, and prior to that as the Communications and Events Manager of Australian Science Innovations at the ANU. Her passion for learning about other cultures means that she will fit well into the RIAP team.
Ms Jing Meiying, Director of International Affairs and Research Division at the China National Academy of Education Administration (NAEA), spent two and a half months with RIAP from June to August on an Endeavour Awards Fellowship, administered by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Philipp Ivanov from RIAP is now having the hospitality returned. He is currently in Beijing spending a month with the NAEA, also as part of the Australian Government Endeavour Awards Fellowship. The Endeavour Fellowship Award is an internationally competitive, merit-based program that provides opportunities for citizens of the Asia-Pacific region to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia. Meiying talks about her time at the University of Sydney, and the purpose of her visit:
“As globalisation proceeds rapidly, the Chinese economy and higher education has developed further, and more and more international students are coming to Chinese universities for their tertiary studies. This has also been assisted by the efforts of both the Chinese government and universities to increase the services available for international students, including English-taught courses and professional support services. According to recent statistics by the Chinese Ministry of Education, around 80,000 international students enrolled in more than 500 Chinese universities for degree studies in 2008, a 17.29% increase on 2007. However, in terms of management, there is still a great need for professional administrators and managers to be responsible for international development in Chinese universities.
NAEA is the only institution at a national level for higher educational leadership development and training in China, providing about 40 training programs and 5000 participants each year. NAEA also has the task of identifying best practices in other countries in the field of higher education administration, and providing up-to-date support and consultancy to Chinese universities.
The key purpose of my visit is to observe the international education industry in Australia, with emphasis on organisational strategies and best practices adopted by Australian institutions managing international education programs. I am also looking at ways to expand and further develop the collaboration between RIAP and NAEA in designing international leadership programs.
During my visit I have shadowed the activities of staff from RIAP, the International Office and International Students Support Unit at the University of Sydney. I have observed everyday practices in the University academic and administrative units, performed site visits to the Australia Education International, University of Technology Sydney, University of Western Sydney and Macquarie University, and held interviews with relevant administrators.
I thank Robyn and Philipp for their support and advice during those visits and interviews; and I thank all my colleagues at RIAP for providing me with wonderful support and family-like care and assistance. I welcome colleagues from the University of Sydney to visit NAEA, and I look forward to further consolidating the MOU between NAEA and the university in the near future”. - Meiying Jing
Upcoming Activities
- Twenty-five government officers from the mountainous Guizhou Province in Southwest China will enhance their capacity to contribute to sustainable development in their province during a two week leadership program on environmental and natural resource management. The program is part of a unique five year partnership between government, business and academic organisations in which RIAP, the Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau and Sino Gold Mining Ltd Australia are collaborating to expand the use of environmentally sustainable policies and practices in Guizhou Province through a series of leadership training programs at the University of Sydney and Guizhou Normal University, China.
- The Distance Assisted Training programme for Nuclear Medicine Technologists (DAT) is now available online (DAT-OL) at www.datnmt.org and currently undergoing a preliminary trial with participants in Thailand. RIAP will collaborate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, to conduct a Coordinated Research Project on the Evaluation of DAT-OL on a global scale. This project is due to commence September/October 2009.