Australian Alumni Award Nominations Open

Nominations open today for the 2009 Australian Alumni Awards in Indonesia.

“This award scheme is important in recognising the significant contribution made by Indonesians who have studied in Australia when they return to Indonesia,” said Bill Farmer, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.

The nine award categories, including two new categories for 2009, are:

Outstanding Young Australian Alumni Award
Australian Alumni Award for Excellence in Education
Australian Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship
Australian Alumni Award for Sustainable and Economic Development
Australian Alumni Award for Research and Innovation
Australian Alumni Award for Business Leadership
Australian Alumni Award for Culture and the Arts
Australian Alumni Award for Creativity and Design
Australian Alumni Award for Journalism and Media

“I strongly encourage the public to nominate high achieving Indonesian alumni for these awards and help to celebrate their success,” said Farmer.

In 2008 high profile Australian alumni award winners included:

Dr Kusmayanto Kadiman, Indonesian State Minister for Research and Technology, awarded the Australian Alumni Award for Research and Technology;
Dr Boediono, former Co-ordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, awarded the Australian Alumni Award for Sustainable Economic;
Dr James Riady, awarded the Australian Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship; and
Ms Meutya Hafid, awarded the Australian Alumni Award for Journalism and Media.

To be eligible for nomination, alumni must have studied in Australia for at least 12 months. Alumni do not have to be working in the particular discipline from which they graduated but it is essential to display an on-going high level of achievement in the award category. The awards are not designed to reward those who are nearing graduation.

Nominations can be made online, by any member of the Indonesian public, via the interactive Australian alumni website www.ozmate.org. Please visit www.ozmate.org for nomination details and eligibility. The finalists will be announced in January 2009. The winners will be announced for the first time at the Australian Alumni Awards Dinner in Jakarta in February 2009. Tickets will be available for purchase by alumni in January 2009.

Media Enquiries:
Jenny Dee, Counsellor (Public Affairs) tel. (021) 2550 5290 mob. 0811 187 3175