ANU Indonesia Project building research capacity in Eastern Indonesia

Building research capacity in Eastern Indonesia: Boot Camp 1 in Manado

The ANU Indonesia Project, in partnership with KONEKSI, has launched the first in a series of two intensive research capacity boot camps aimed at strengthening high-quality, policy-relevant research in Eastern Indonesia.

Boot Camp 1, held in Manado, brought together 20 emerging researchers from across Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua for three days of intensive training focused on research methods, collaboration, and inclusive research design. Delivered predominantly in Bahasa Indonesia, the program created a shared learning environment grounded in local contexts and lived experience.

The boot camp focused on deepening participants’ research skills across a wide range of methodologies. Across nine structured sessions, participants engaged with key topics including developing strong research questions, qualitative and quantitative data sources and collection methods, mixed methods and randomised controlled trial (RCT) approaches, and the integration of Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) considerations throughout the research process.

A core feature of Boot Camp 1 was its applied, team-based approach. In addition to daytime training, participants were grouped by shared research interests and worked together during evening sessions to progressively develop a joint research idea. These group assignments allowed participants to immediately apply new concepts, test ideas collaboratively, and learn from one another’s disciplinary and regional perspectives.

The boot camp culminated in a final session in which each group presented their proposed research question and methodological approach for feedback and discussion. The questions developed reflected pressing regional priorities, including inclusive labour markets, gender dynamics in value chains, climate resilience, and the social and environmental impacts of green and blue carbon policies.

Boot Camp 1 concluded with a forward-looking session designed to prepare participants for the next stage of the program. Over the coming months, participants will return to their home institutions and continue developing individual research proposals, drawing on the methods, mentoring, and feedback received during the boot camp.

This work will continue into Boot Camp 2, which will focus on research communication, presentation skills, and preparing participants to present their work at the Indonesia Regional Science Association (IRSA) Conference. Together, the two boot camps form a structured pathway to support emerging researchers in Eastern Indonesia to design rigorous, inclusive, and policy-relevant research.