The Australasian AID Conference (AAC), held annually in partnership with The Asia Foundation, has become an integral part of the Australian and regional aid calendar.
We are pleased to announce the 2025 AAC will be held from Wednesday 3 to Friday 5 December at the Australian National University in Canberra.
The aim of the conference is to bring together researchers from across Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and beyond who are working on aid and international development policy (the AID in the conference title) to share insights, promote collaboration, and help develop the research community.
Thank you to those who attended the conference. Please head to the Survey section on the Whova app or open this link to give feedback.
Presentations and video links will be added as they become available. Please check back in December and January.
Keynote launch
‘China, the West and the global development finance regime: competitive convergence’
Professor David Skidmore, Department of Political Science, Drake University, USA
Chair: Professor Stephen Howes, Director. Development Policy Centre, Australian National University (ANU)
» view book
» view review
» view livestream
Book launch – ‘Between international norms and localised change: gender sensitivity in the Parliament of Fiji’
Presenter: Associate Professor Sonia Palmieri, Head, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU
Discussant: Romitesh Kant, PhD Candidate, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU
» view book
» view presentation
Toolkit launch – ‘Conflict, extremism and doing no harm in conflict and crisis settings’
Chair: Mudasser Siddiqui, Deputy CEO, Impact, Plan International Australia
Presenters:
Associate Professor Anthony Ware, School of Humanities and Social Sciences/Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
Dr Leane Kelly, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Arts and Education/Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
Cathy Seco, Program Director, Plan International Pilipinas (online)
» view presentation
Report launch – ‘Navigating the politics of civic spaces’
Chair: Dr Nicola Nixon, Senior Regional Director, Governance, The Asia Foundation
Presenters:
Dr Lisa Denney, Principal Research Fellow and Head, Centre for Human Security and Social Change, La Trobe University
Serena Nardi Ford, PhD Candidate, La Trobe University
Sam Chittick, Country Director, The Philippines, The Asia Foundation
» view presentation
Report launch – ‘Intersectionality and gender diverse climate change action: toward Pasifika-led policy’
Co-chairs: Dr Jane Alver and Sarah Goulding, Centre for Environmental Governance, University of Canberra
Presenters:
Ruth Maetala, Co-Lead, Programmes and Innovation, Pacific Feminist Fund
Kevin Akike, Independent Consultant, Papua New Guinea
Almah Kuambu, Technical Advisor, National Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, Papua New Guinea
Rahkel Mercy, PhD Candidate, School of Law, ANU
Welcome
Dr Cameron Hill, Senior Researcher, Development Policy Centre, Australian National University
Opening remarks
Laurel E. Miller, President and CEO,
The Asia Foundation
Panel 1a – Labour mobility, diplomacy and development
Chair: Rebecca Worner, Pacific Partner Regional Director, Palladium
Panelists:
Pasuna Tuaga, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Trade, Government of Tuvalu
Rachel Jolly, Assistant Secretary, Labour Mobility and Engagement Branch, Office of the Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Dr Ryan Edwards, Fellow and Deputy Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 1b – Humanitarianism and human rights: the Gaza crisis
Chair: Dr Annabel Dulhunty, Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU
Panelists:
Ali Shaar, Director, Palestinian Child Institute/An-Najah National University (online)
Dr Cadhla O’Sullivan, Children’s Policy Centre, ANU
Mudasser Siddiqui, Deputy CEO, Impact, Plan International Australia
Dr Rick Brennan, former Regional Emergency Director, World Health Organization
Amra Lee, PhD Candidate, Department of International Relations, ANU
» view recording
Panel 1c – Localising climate security: climate, aid and peace in the Indo-Pacific
Chair: Dr Siad Darwish, Research Associate, University of Melbourne
Panelists:
Ambika Vishwanath, DFAT Maitri Research Fellow, La Trobe University
» view presentation
Dr Anouk Ride, Research Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU
» view presentation
Christine Lindell, Technical Advisor, Conflict and Fragility, World Vision Australia
» view presentation
Paulo Baleinakorodawa, Executive Director, Transcend Oceania (online)
» view recording
Panel 1d – Building effective and accountable states: thought and practice
Self-serving or benevolent? A systematic review of elite capture in foreign aid
Bret Hart Larracas Gutierrez, PhD Candidate, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University
» view presentation
Aid effectiveness in Afghanistan
Dr Nemat Bizhan, Senior Lecturer, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Chair: Hannah Bleby, Director, Development Advisory Services, DFAT
Panel 1e – Food security and climate change
Climate change and nutritional vulnerability: insights from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Tracy Yuen, Pacific Health and Nutrition Technical Advisor, Save the Children Australia
Dr Betty Barkha, Pacific Gender Equality Disability and Social Inclusion Technical Advisor, Save the Children Australia
» view presentation
Blue foods systems as a nature-based solution for climate resilience
Nat Burke, Head of Regenerative Climate, World Wildlife Fund Australia
» view presentation
Making food security work multidisciplinary: taking food system resilience from concept to action
Harry Campbell-Ross, PhD Candidate, Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU
» view presentation
Chair: Jane Bastin-Sikimeti, Director, Climate Resilient Agriculture and Food Security, DFAT
Panel 1f – Economics in aid
Do more aid inflows function as a blessing or a curse? Understanding the governance implications of foreign assistance in developing countries
Nadya Setiawati, Postgraduate student, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU
Muh Fajrul, Postgraduate student, University of Queensland
» view presentation
Fiscal impacts of foreign aid in Sri Lanka
Iyoma Priyadarshana, PhD candidate, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, South Korea
Associate Professor Seohyun Lee, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, South Korea
» view presentation
Cracking the emergency door: an empirical investigation of economic openness on international humanitarian assistance
Ega Kurnia Yazid, Research Fellow, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia
» view presentation
Chair: Victoria Dimond, Senior Economist, DFAT
Panel 2a – Pragmatic partnerships: development cooperation in an age of geopolitical uncertainty and trade turmoil
Chair: Anthea Mulakala, Senior Director, International Development Cooperation, The Asia Foundation
Panelists:
Thomas Parks, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, The Asia Foundation
H.E. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Thai Ambassador to Australia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
Bill Costello, Assistant Secretary, Southeast Asia Development Policy and Programs Branch, DFAT
Manon Dumas, Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Australia, Global Affairs Canada / Affaires Mondiales Canada
Panel 2b – Do governance programs make a difference to people?
Chair: Dr Nicola Nixon, Senior Regional Director, Governance, The Asia Foundation
Panelists:
Carolyn O’Donnell, Director of Impact, The Asia Foundation
» view presentation
Dr Jeevan Baniya, Deputy Director, Social Science Baha, Nepal
» view presentation
Associate Professor Apisalome Movono, Tourism and Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific, Fiji (online)
» view presentation
Panel 2c – Whose question, whose answer? Participatory design in every stage of development projects
Chair: Jasmin Johnson, Executive Vice President, PEMANDU Associates, Malaysia
Panelists:
Ethel Tebengi, Farmer and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Solomon Islands
Dato’ Seri Dr Idris Jala, Chairman and President, PEMANDU Associates, Malaysia (online)
Dr Michael Woolcock, Lead Social Scientist, Development Research Group, World Bank
» view panel presentation
Panel 2d – The Big Five: poly-solutions in an era of permacrisis
Chair: Vicky Yee, Executive Director, Women’s Fund Fiji
Panelists:
Anisha Chugh, Executive Director, Women’s Fund Asia
Ruth Maetala, Co-Lead, Programs and Innovation, Pacific Feminist Fund
Alison McLachlan. Assistant Director, GEDSI Performance Unit, DFAT
» view panel presentation
Panel 2e – Development aid and climate change adaptation: same, same but different?
Chair: Jennifer Tran, PhD Candidate, Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU
Panelists:
Dr Terence Wood, Fellow, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation
Dr Melanie Pill, Research Fellow, Climate Change, Lowy Institute
» view presentation
Akka Rimon, PhD Candidate, School of Regulation and Global Governance, ANU
» view presentation
Panel 2f – Recipient preferences and need in aid
Preferences for in-place and relocated living among climate-vulnerable communities in Fiji: a discrete choice experiment
Dr Rohan Sweeney, Associate Professor, Monash University
» view presentation
”Real” recipient preferences for aid allocation and local control: a discrete choice experiment
Jack Hennessy, PhD candidate, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University
» view presentation
The greatest need: approaches to, and analyses of, aid
Yash Moitra, Teaching Assistant, Department of Economics, Cornell University, USA
Chair: Estelle Stambolie, Research Officer, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 2g – NGOs, civil society and the state: Bangladesh, Nepal and Laos
Understanding grassroots development practices in Bangladesh: a Freirean perspective
Dr Owasim Akram, Postdoctoral Researcher, Örebro University, Sweden
» view presentation
The space in-between: gaps in development decision making and civil society-led development programs in Lao PDR
Francesca Earp, PhD Candidate, James Cook University
Chanthalangsy Sisouvanh, Executive Director, Rural Development Agency, Laos
» view presentation
Rewiring democracy and development: a citizen-led governance approach from Nepal
Bijay Chhetri, Senior Program Officer, Subnational Governance Program, The Asia Foundation, Nepal
» view presentation
Chair: Dr Lisa Denney, Principal Researcher and Director, Centre for Human Security and Social Change, La Trobe University
Chair: The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Australian Government
Panelists:
Dr Noam Angrist, Academic Director, What Works for Global Education Hub, University of Oxford, UK
Filemon Ray Javier, Undersecretary, Legal and Legislative Affairs, Department of Education,
The Philippines
Penny Morton, Minister Counsellor, Australian High Commission, Port Moresby
Eleanor Williams, Managing Director, Australian Centre for Evaluation, Treasury
Panel 3a – Using data analytics to tackle development challenges in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Chair: Professor Beth Webster, Director, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne
Panelists:
Dr Diana Contreras Suarez, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne
» view presentation
Dr Christopher Hoy, McKenzie Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne
» view presentation
Dr Kushneel Prakash, Postdoctoral Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne
» view presentation
Panel 3b - Donor competition, influence and aid
Impact of aid information on attitudes towards donor-recipient disputes: experimental evidence from Timor-Leste
Dr Ghulam Dastgir Khan, Assistant Professor, Hiroshima University, Japan (online)
» view presentation
Strategic competition in foreign aid: a dynamic model of Australia-China rivalry in the Pacific
Professor Martin Davies, Department of Economics, Washington and Lee University, USA (online)
» view presentation
Aid effectiveness for building influence in Papua New Guinea: an opportunity for rural development
Dr Mark Moran, Visiting Fellow, Development Policy Centre, ANU
» view presentation
Chair: Bridi Rice, CEO, Development Intelligence Lab
Panel 3c – Indonesia law and justice programs: sustainability, inclusion and effectiveness
Gender, law, and development aid: women’s rights and legal challenges in Indonesia
Desi Yunitasari, Postgraduate, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne
Devi Yusvitasari, Postgraduate, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne
» view presentation
The use of the Cost of Justice approach as a mechanism for expanding access to justice and the role of international development partners in Indonesia
Dio Ashar Wicaksana, PhD Candidate, School of Regulation and Global Governance, ANU (online)
Gladys Nadya Arianto, Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society (online)
» view presentation
How Indonesia’s justice system advances gender justice through strategic international aid
Marsha Maharani, Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society
» view presentation
The role of international aid in co-creating people-centred justice policy evaluation: lessons from Indonesia’s access to justice and legal development index
Arsa Ilmi Budiarti, Postgraduate, University of Melbourne and Senior Researcher, Indonesia Judicial Research Society
» view presentation
Chair: Mira Sulistiyanto, Senior Analyst, Development Intelligence Lab
Panel 3d – Local voices, regional impact: locally engaged staff driving development in Southeast Asia
Chair: Bill Costello, Assistant Secretary, Southeast Asia Development Policy and Programs, DFAT
Panelists:
Astari Widiastomo, Senior Program Manager, Economic Governance, Australian Embassy, Jakarta
Hoai Nam Nguyen, Senior Program Manager, Australian Embassy, Hanoi
Pablo Lucero, Portfolio Manager, Governance, Australian Embassy, Manila
» view panel presentation
Panel 3e – The economics of ageing: coverage, costs and impacts of pensions
Chair: Karen Bray, Director, Economic Policy and Partnership Section, Office of the Pacific, DFAT
Panelists:
Philip O’Keefe, Professor of Practice, Centre for Population Ageing Research, University of NSW
» view presentation
Karishma Huda, Team Leader, Partnerships for Social Protection (P4SP)
» view presentation
Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, Fiji
» view presentation
Panel 3f – From aid to agency: harnessing local leaders to address stunting in the Philippines
Chair: Sam Chittick, Country Representative, The Philippines, The Asia Foundation
Panelists:
Regina Pasion, Senior Program Officer, The Philippines, The Asia Foundation
Lyonel Tanganco, Co-Convenor, Malusog at Matalinong Bata Coalition, The Philippines
Justin Muyot, Co-Convenor, Malusog at Matalinong Bata Coalition, The Philippines
» view panel presentation
Panel 3g – Gender and disability in climate change programming and advocacy
Feminist financing models for women-led ecological restoration and economic resilience: case studies from Indonesia
Melisa Apriyani, Indonesia Program Manager, Women’s Earth Alliance, Indonesia
» view panel presentation
Energy justice through a GEDSI lens: findings from the gender, disability and energy in the Pacific White Paper
Grace Gardiner, PhD Candidate, University of NSW
» view panel presentation
Beyond women’s leadership: why men and boys matter for gender-just climate action
Dr Athena Nguyen, Senior Manager, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion, CARE Australia
» view panel presentation
Chair: Dr Annabel Dulhunty, Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU
Dr Helen Durham AO, CEO, RedR Australia
» listen to podcast (recorded in April 2025)
Panel 4a – Beyond aid: public finance, philanthropy and Global Public Investment in Asia
Chair: Anthea Mulakala, Senior Director, International Development Cooperation, The Asia Foundation
Panelists:
Patsian Low, Chief of Markets and Deputy CEO, AVPN
Simon Reid-Henry, Peace Research Institute, Oslo (online)
The Hon Swarnim Wagle, Member of Parliament, Nepal and former Chief Economic Advisor, UN Development Programme, Asia- Pacific
Dr Nicola Nixon, Senior Regional Director, Governance, The Asia Foundation
Panel 4b – Working in contested civic spaces
Quiet partnerships, lasting change: technical cooperation on human rights in Southeast Asia
Leanne Smith, Chief Executive, Australian Human Rights Commission
» view presentation
Public service media as a regional anchor for public interest values
Dr Prashanth Pillay, Manager, Research and Evaluation, ABC International Development
Jo Elsom, Head, ABC International Development
» view presentation
Capitalism, political agency and strategic adaptation for political survival in land dispossession in Cambodia
Len Ang, PhD Candidate, Department of Political and Social Change, ANU
» view presentation
Resilience under pressure: how CSOs and INGOs in Vietnam adapt to authoritarian restrictions and aid cuts
Dr Nguyen Van Bao, Economist, International Rice Research Institute (online)
» view presentation
Chair: Carolyn O’Donnell, Director of Impact, The Asia Foundation
Panel 4c – Evaluation in public health, WaSH and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Empowering adolescent girls through digital health: a multi-country assessment of the Oky app’s impact on menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Sarah Adams, Program Coordinator, UNICEF Australia
» view presentation
Evaluating the One Health frontline field epidemiology training program of PNG
Miriel Boas, One Health Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program Coordinator, Health Security & Surveillance Branch, PNG National Department of Health (online)
» view presentation
Strengthening systems for inclusive climate resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services in Cambodia
Dr Raksmey Ang, Centre for Natural Resources and Environment, Cambodia Development Resource Institute
» view presentation
Chair: Camilla Burkot, Senior Technical Advisor, Global Health Division, DFAT
» view recording
Panel 4d – Development and conflict prevention in the Indo-Pacific
Chair: Dr Tania Miletic, Senior Research Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences and Co-Director, Initiative for Peacebuilding, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne
Panelists:
William Leben, Senior Analyst, Development Intelligence Lab
Dr Anouk Ride, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU
Johanna Podlesak, Director of Pacific Programmes, Conciliation Resources
No presentation or video available
Panel 4e - Donor disruptions in aid
Emerging donors in action: tracking, boosting and shaping development
Grace Stanhope, Research Associate, Lowy Institute
Riley Duke, Research Fellow, Lowy Institute
» view presentation
» view Pacific Aid Map: 2025 Key Findings
America’s politics, Australia’s development cooperation
Victoria Cooper, Senior Analyst, Development Intelligence Lab
» view presentation
Stuck in the middle: what the tensions within aid can tell us about a third way forward for development
Lucy Pennington, PhD Candidate, Monash University
» view presentation
Chair: Dr Cameron Hill, Senior Researcher, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 4f – Digital frontlines: cyber-security, humanitarian action and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
Chair: Beth Eggleston, Co-Founder and Director, Humanitarian Advisory Group
Panelists:
Svetlana Zens, Program Manager, Article 19, UK
Rachel Jin, Founder, Xeon Global
Andrew Kobylinski, Policy and Political Affairs Officer, International Committee of the Red Cross
Panel 4g – Taiwan’s development cooperation: collaborative pathways
to human and planetary health
Panelists:
Yu-Jie Li, Assistant Specialist, International Cooperation and Development, TaiwanICDF
Yu-hsuan Su, Associate Professor, Graduate Institute of Development Studies, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Kelvin Chen, Specialist, Technical Mission of Republic of China (Taiwan), Palau
Chih-Wei Shih, Specialist, Technical Mission of Republic of China (Taiwan), Tuvalu
Eric Olander, Editor-in-Chief, China Global South Project
Chair: Professor Jane Golley, Head, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, ANU
» view presentation
» view livestream
» read blog
» listen to podcast
Panel 5a - Interrogating Australia’s Pacific integration agenda
Chair: Dr Darren Lim, Senior Lecturer, School of Politics and International Relations, ANU and Host, Australia in the World podcast
Panelists:
Bridi Rice, Founder and CEO, Development Intelligence Lab
» view presentation
Jan Hutton, First Assistant Secretary, Pacific Integration Division, Office of the Pacific, DFAT
Natasha Turia, PhD Candidate, Department of Pacific Affairs, and Research Officer, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 5b – Engaging with social norms for lasting change: lessons from PNG and Southeast Asia
Chair: Ayesha Lutschini, Team Leader, PNG Women Lead
Panelists:
Evonne Kennedy, Executive Director, PNG Business Coalition for Women
Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, ANU
Gumilang Andika, Manager, Community Initiatives, Kopernik, Indonesia (online)
» view panel presentation
» view recording
Panel 5c – Mobilising private finance for agriculture, infrastructure and climate
Financing the future of food in Nepal
Safa Fanaian, International Water Management Institute, Nepal (online)
» view presentation
Climate finance: catalysing inclusive development
Garron Hansen, Senior Vice President, Chemonics International
Ratri Wakeling, Executive Director, Pollination
» view presentation
Aid, markets and mobilisation: identifying linkages between DFAT ODA and private-sector participation
Justin Larson, Senior Manager, Climate and Energy Programs, RTI International
» view presentation
Turning mispriced risk into development impact: a triple-bottom-line model for ODA-financed infrastructure
Natalia Beghin, Senior Consultant, Economics and Trade, Alinea International
» view presentation
Chair: Erin Anderson, Technical Director, Asia Pacific, Cowater International
» view recording
Panel 5d – Doing more with less: big ideas to boost productivity in aid
Chair: Amanda Robbins, Founder and Director, Equity Economics and Development Partners
Panelists:
Dr Christopher Hoy, McKenzie Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
» view presentation
Dr Jenny Gordon, Honorary Professor, Centre for Social Policy Research, ANU
Andrew Cumpston, Assistant Secretary, Pacific Economics and Trade, Office of the Pacific, DFAT
Panel 5e – Rights, resilience, and reform: supporting deinstitutionalisation of people with disabilities
Chair: Aleisha Carroll, Research, Evaluation and Effectiveness Lead, CBM Australia
Panelists:
Robyne Leven, Assistant Director, GEDSI Performance and Effectiveness Section, DFAT
Agus Hasan Hidayat, Representative and Founder, Transforming Communities for Inclusion Global and Executive Board member, Indonesia Revolution and Education for Social Inclusion
Sera Osborne, Office Manager, Psychiatric Survivors Association of Fiji
Panel 5f – Climate aid effectiveness
Whose change counts? Rethinking development evaluation through most significant change in Cambodia’s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary’s REDD+ Project
Phoury Bun, REDD+ Research and Impact Advisor, Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia
» view presentation
Tracing change: how effective are Australian-funded climate adaptation programs?
Jenny Tran, PhD Candidate, Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU
» view presentation
Chair: Dr Terence Wood, Fellow, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 5g - Inclusive rural development in the Pacific and Southeast Asia
Inclusive agricultural value chains: a win for business and community
Melissa Collins, GEDSI Adviser, PHAMA Plus
Tu’iLautala Maú, Inclusion and Results Measurement Officer, PHAMA Plus, Tonga
» view presentation
Impact evaluation of the AGROW Project in Cambodia: methodological insights from a mixed-methods approach
Pirom Khiev, Research Fellow, Cambodia Development Resource Institute
» view presentation
Inclusive agriculture in Timor-Leste: empowering people with disabilities through climate smart agriculture
Renato Zrnic, Team Leader, Farming for Prosperity (TOMAK), Timor-Leste
Modesto Lopes, National Program Manager, Farming for Prosperity (TOMAK), Timor-Leste
» view presentation
From subsidies to systems: lessons from Australia’s gender-responsive market development program in Vietnam
Hoai Nam Nguyen, Senior Program Manager, Australian Embassy, Hanoi
» view presentation
Chair: Robyn Alders AO, Honorary Professor, Development Policy Centre, ANU
Panel 6a – Reimagining multilateralism: human rights, humanitarianism and global health
Chair: Helen Durham AO, CEO, RedR Australia
Panelists:
Leanne Smith, Chief Executive, Australian Human Rights Commission
Fiona Tarpey, Senior Humanitarian Advisor, British Red Cross
Dr Esperanza Martinez, Head and Professor of Practice in Health and Human Security, ANU
» view livestream
Panel 6b – Iterating for impact: how A/B testing improves programs in real time
Chair: Harry Greenwell, Director, Australian Centre for Evaluation, Treasury
Panelists:
Dr Claire Cullen, Head of Research and Innovation, Youth Impact
» view presentation
Azeez Gupta, Co-Founder, Rocket Learning, India (online)
» view presentation
Ben Tan, Director, Right-Fit Evidence Unit, Innovations for Poverty Action
Panel 6c – Evaluating education programs
Education in transition: post-pandemic learning realities in South and Southeast Asia
Dr Sabyasachi Majumdar. Assistant Professor, Notre Dame College, Bangladesh
» view presentation
Bridging the digital divide: educational technology and equity outcomes for ethnic minorities in Vietnam
Melanie Book, Head of Humanitarian and Global Programs, Save the Children Australia
Oanh Thu Thi Nguyen, MEAL Coordinator, Save The Children International, Vietnam
» view presentation
Evaluating an adaptive education program: the case of INOVASI
Rasita Ekawati Purba, Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning, INOVASI (online)
Ingga Danta Vistara, Adviser, Education System and Policy, INOVASI (online)
» view presentation
Chair: Belynda McNaughton, Senior Education Adviser, DFAT
» view recording
Panel 6d – Addressing disability equity and rights: lessons from Indonesia
Chair: Tirta Sutedjo, Director of Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare, Ministry of National Development Planning, Government of Indonesia
Panelists:
Dr Tri Hastuti Nur Rochimah, Secretary General of the National Board, Aisyiyah Indonesia
Muhammad Joni Yulianto, Executive Director, SIGAB Indonesia
Muhammad Aditya Setiawan, Head of Holistic Rehabilitation Program, Yakkum Rehabilitation Center, Indonesia
» view presentation
Panel 6e – Perspectives on First Nations’ approaches to development: past, present and future
Brindabella Theatre
Aid policy and the marginalisation of indigenous people: a case of Australian aid in Nepal
Bishal Mahato, Researcher, Madi Municipality, Nepal
Dr Sanjaya Mahato, Visiting Researcher, Kathmandu University Department of Public Policy and Management, Nepal
» view presentation
A tale of two rising sea levels: Australia’s domestic and regional climate adaption dilemma
Alasdair Hill, Postgraduate, Murdoch University/ANU
» view presentation
Will DFAT’s new Guidance Note on First Nations’ Approaches enhance development cooperation?
Zara Maddigan, International Development Adviser, Ninti One Limited
» view presentation
Chair: David Poulton, Senior Consultant, Alinea International
Panel 6f – Gendered insecurities and humanitarian response in Myanmar’s borderlands
Chair: Dr Ruth Citrin, XCEPT Consortium Executive Director, Chemonics International
Panelists:
Dr Anas Ansar, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, North South University, Bangladesh
Tasnia Khandaker Prova, Climate Research Lead, Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, Bangladesh
Virginie Baudais, Senior Researcher and Director, Sahel and West Africa Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Sweden
» view panel presentation
Panel 6g – Local pathways to digital inclusion: lessons from Cambodia, the Philippines, Fiji and Vanuatu
Chair: Darian Clark, CEO, CUFA
Panelists:
Rany Teng, Country Manager, Cambodia, CUFA
James Sinclair, Program Officer,
The Asia Foundation – Pacific Islands
Corin Mitchell, Global Executive Director, SMEC
Chair: Dr Nicola Nixon, Senior Regional Director, Governance, The Asia Foundation
Panelists:
Dr Tri Hastuti Nur Rochimah, Lecturer, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta and Secretary General of the National Board, Aisyiyah Indonesia
» view presentation
Michelle Reddy, Co-Lead for Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation, Pacific Feminist Fund
Susanne Legena, CEO, Plan International Australia
View below or download the program. Download the abstracts book.
Co-founder, China Global South Project
Established in 2010, the China Global South Project is an independent, non-partisan media initiative dedicated to exploring every facet of China’s engagement in the world.
Eric is a fluent Mandarin-speaker and a longtime China-watcher with more than 25 years of journalism experience.
Chief Executive Officer, RedR Australia
Dr Helen Durham AO is an elected member of the Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and a Board member of Geneva Call.
She has 30 years’ experience in the humanitarian sector, most recently serving as the Director of International Law and Policy for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva as well as various roles within Australian Red Cross and ICRC in the Asia Pacific region.
Professor, Drake University
David Skidmore is a Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Professor Skidmore will launch his new book, China, the West, and Competitive Convergence in the Global Development Finance Regime.
He has a second forthcoming book titled Research Handbook on American Foreign and Security Policy.
Lecturer, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta
Dr Tri Hastuti Nur Rochimah is a lecturer in communications studies at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta.
She is also the Secretary of the National Board of Aisyiyah, the largest Muslim women's organisation in Indonesia.
Partnership and Resource Mobilisation Co-Lead, Pacific Feminist Fund
Michelle Reddy led the establishment of the first national women’s fund, the Women’s Fund Fiji.
She is one of the founders of the Pacific Feminist Fund and is currently serving as the Partnership and Resource Mobilisation Co-Lead.
CEO, Plan International Australia
Susanne joined Plan International Australia's executive team in 2011 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2017.
She also serves as Chair of the Emergency Action Alliance.
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
Prior to being elected in 2010, Leigh was a professor of economics at the Australian National University.
He is currently the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT.
Undersecretary, Legal and Legislative Affairs, Department of Education, The Philippines
Minister Counsellor, Australian High Commission, Papua New Guinea
Academic Director, What Works for Global Education Hub, University of Oxford, UK
Managing Director, Australian Centre for Evaluation, Department of Treasury
Conference venue
The conference will be held at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. The venue address is: JG Crawford Building, 132 Lennox Crossing, Acton ACT 2601.
See Google Maps for more details.
The conference dinner venue (ticketholders only) is National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton, 400 metres from the Crawford School building.
Both venues are wheelchair accessible.
Public transport
Transport Canberra information
Bus route 53 stops on Lennox Crossing in front of the Crawford School building. Plan your journey
The closest light rail stop is Alinga Street station, a 25-minute walk to the Crawford School building. Plan your journey
E-scooters for hire via Neuron. Road rules and conditions apply.
Wheelchair accessible taxis must be booked ahead. Phone 139 287, email or online
ACT Cabs 02 6280 0077 or online
Canberra Elite 02 6126 1600 or SMS your name, pickup address, and pickup time to 0481 072 700
Silver Service 13 31 00 or online
Ola online
Uber online
Shebah, all-women rideshare service via app
Arriving in Canberra
Canberra Airport is located 8km from the city centre. It is connected to most of Australia’s major cities.
As a general guide, a taxi from the airport to Canberra city centre takes around 20 minutes and will cost approximately $40 to $50, depending on traffic conditions.
By road, Canberra is located approximately 3.5 hours from Sydney. An hourly coach service is available to connect from the Sydney Airport Domestic terminal to Canberra city (travel time 3.5 hours).
It is also possible to travel to Canberra by train. The Canberra train station is located in the suburb of Kingston, approximately 6km from the Canberra city centre and the ANU.
Parking
Very limited paid visitor parking is available on Lennox Crossing opposite the Crawford School building. Parking fees apply between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Paid parking is also available at the National Museum of Australia, a 400 metre walk from the conference venue.
Accommodation
It is recommended that delegates book accommodation as soon as possible after registration.
The following hotels are located near the ANU campus:
You can also explore other accommodation options here:
Contact
For all inquiries related to the conference, email devpolicy@anu.edu.au.
The call for papers for the 2025 conference is now closed.
Successful applicants will be informed by late September. Enquiries after that date should be directed to devpolicy@anu.edu.au.
The conference is multidisciplinary in nature, and examines topics related to aid and international development (the AID in the conference acronym). We welcome abstracts and panel proposals from academics, practitioners and students on the following topics:
Submissions are welcomed from academics, practitioners and students. The AAC is a research conference. Abstracts arguing for particular policy positions are welcome, but must be based on solid research. Abstracts outlining proposed research will not be accepted.
Panel proposals that have an exclusively PNG/Pacific focus are encouraged to submit them for other events such as the Pacific Update or PNG Update.
The main emphasis of AAC2025 is on in-person presentations. However, there will also be limited opportunities for online presentations and blended (in-person and online) sessions.
3MAP: the 3-minute aid pitch
At AAC2025, in the style of the 3-minute thesis competition, selected 3MAP speakers will have three minutes to present their proposal, followed by audience questions and a vote to find our winner.
Watch the livestreamed recording of AAC2024 3MAP.
If you would like to submit a 3MAP, 3-minute aid pitch, email a short paragraph (200 words max) with your idea to improve Australian aid or development policy to devpolicy@anu.edu.au (with “3MAP pitch” in the subject line).
We will then select a handful of the most promising ideas to be presented and debated at AAC2025. Presenters receive a free two-day conference registration (dinner not included).
Funding for AAC presenters
The following opportunities to support presenters to attend AAC2025 are available:
Postgraduate students (all nationalities) based in Australia
We will cover domestic travel and accommodation costs for a limited number of PhD and post-graduate students who are accepted to present. Should your abstract and funding request be successful, we will arrange your accommodation (for two nights from 3–5 December in Canberra) and the most economic means of domestic transport to the conference. You will still be required to register to attend the conference at your own cost, and we recommend that you apply for funding from your university for this where possible.
Developing country presenters based overseas
We will waive registration fees for a limited number of presenters who are citizens of and will be travelling from a developing country to present at the conference. For these purposes, ‘developing country’ is defined using this list. We are NOT able to provide any support toward the cost of international travel or accommodation, and recommend that presenters based overseas seek support for this from their home institution. The conference dinner will not be included in the waiver.
Please note that you must request this funding via the form when submitting your abstract/panel proposal for consideration. Late requests will not be considered.
Due to limited resources, receipt of travel support and registration fee waivers cannot be guaranteed for all postgraduate students and developing country presenters who apply for it. In the case of us receiving more requests for this support than can be met from our budget, selection will be made by convenors based on the strength of the abstract.
If you have any questions, or if you do not receive an automated email confirming receipt of your abstract/panel proposal within one week of submission, please contact devpolicy@anu.edu.au with “2025 Australian AID Conference” in the subject line.
