PRESS RELEASE
UIN ALAUDDIN
MAKASSAR
UIN Alauddin Makassar Lecturer
Selected for Australia Awards Short Course 2026, Strengthening Academics’ Role
in Community Empowerment
Makassar, October 2026 — Waode Surya Darmadali, a lecturer
in the English Language and Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Adab and
Humanities, UIN Alauddin Makassar, has successfully participated in the
Australia Awards Short Course 2026, entitled Social Protection and Community
Empowerment – Strengthening Indonesia’s Pathways to Inclusive and Resilient
Growth. The program was organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade (DFAT) through Australia Awards in Indonesia, with The University of
Newcastle serving as the program provider.
Waode’s participation forms part of efforts to strengthen
the capacity of Indonesian academics to understand social protection,
sustainable livelihoods, economic empowerment, inclusion, and community
resilience. For UIN Alauddin Makassar, this experience also creates
opportunities to strengthen the connections between academia, community needs,
and empowerment practices at the local level.
Strengthening the Role of Academics in the Public Sphere
As an academic specializing in English Language and
Literature, Waode has experience in language teaching, communication,
psycholinguistics, speaking, and interpreting. Over time, her academic
interests have also expanded to include communication, capacity building, and
women’s empowerment.
This experience provides a valuable foundation for
understanding community empowerment not merely in terms of program
implementation, but also through communication, individual capacity
development, access to knowledge, and communities’ ability to participate
actively in development.
In addition to her role as a lecturer, Waode is actively
involved in community empowerment through her work as the Founder of Lingkar
Perempuan Global and Chair of Working Group II of the Family Welfare Movement
(TP PKK) of North Toraja Regency.
These roles bring together her academic experience and
direct involvement in education and skills development, business development,
literacy, and women’s economic empowerment.
Learning from Australian Practices
The Australia Awards Short Course took place from September
19 to October 4, 2026, bringing together participants from government
institutions, universities, and civil society organizations.
The program’s activities were conducted in Newcastle,
Canberra, and Sydney. Participants engaged in expert discussions, case studies,
field visits, workshops, experience-sharing sessions, and the development of an
Award Project.
The topics covered included adaptive social protection,
disaster risk and resilience, gender equality, disability and social inclusion
(GEDSI), monitoring and evaluation, pathways to employment and livelihoods,
digital government, data, inclusive public services, and government support for
digital businesses, innovation, and micro, small, and medium enterprises
(MSMEs).
Bringing Lessons Back to North Toraja
One of the program’s key outcomes was the development of an
Award Project to be implemented through collaboration in North Toraja Regency.
The project is designed to strengthen the links between social protection,
livelihoods, and women’s economic empowerment, while taking community inclusion
and resilience into account.
The project aims to encourage women to become more than just
beneficiaries. It seeks to expand their access to knowledge, skills, networks,
economic opportunities, and support systems that enable them to establish or
develop sustainable livelihoods, including through entrepreneurship and
self-employment.
In this context, Waode’s experience as an academic is
particularly valuable. The project is not limited to implementing activities
but also emphasizes learning processes, documentation, impact measurement, and
the development of knowledge that can be shared with both academic institutions
and the wider community.
From International Learning to Local Impact
“ For me, this opportunity is not only about learning in
Australia, but also about how academics can bring knowledge back to their
communities and translate it into action that addresses local needs. I hope
this experience will strengthen UIN Alauddin Makassar’s contributions to
education, research, and community service, particularly through collaborations
that create meaningful impacts for women and communities that need greater
access to economic opportunities,” Waode said.
Her participation in the Australia Awards Short Course is
expected to strengthen international academic and professional networks while
opening up opportunities for cross-sector collaboration among universities,
government institutions, community organizations, and local communities.
The experience is also expected to enrich academic
perspectives and strengthen lecturers’ contributions to addressing the
development challenges faced by society.
About the Program
The Australia Awards Short Course is part of Australia
Awards in Indonesia. The program, Social Protection and Community Empowerment –
Strengthening Indonesia’s Pathways to Inclusive and Resilient Growth, is
designed to strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical skills in
promoting inclusive, adaptive, and life-cycle-based social protection.
This includes learning about social assistance, employment,
financial inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods.
Editorial
Note: The figures of
approximately 700 applicants and 24 selected participants are based on
information provided by the participant and are not included in the program
documents used as the basis for this press release. For official publication by
UIN Alauddin Makassar, these figures should be included only after confirmation
from Australia Awards.
