ANU Indonesia Project welcomes 2026 KONEKSI Visiting Fellows
ANU Indonesia Project welcomes 2026 KONEKSI Visiting Fellows
The ANU Indonesia Project is pleased to welcome Dr Chreisye K. F. Mandagi from Sam Ratulangi University and Dr Nurliah Buhari from Universitas Mataram as the 2026 KONEKSI Visiting Fellows.
Arriving at The Australian National University (ANU) on 4 September 2026, Chreisye and Nurliah will spend a month in Canberra connecting with ANU's vibrant Indonesianist community of academics and students while further developing their research and strengthening collaboration with the ANU Indonesia Project.
The Visiting Fellows program forms part of the Indonesia Project's partnership with KONEKSI (Knowledge Partnership Platform Australia–Indonesia), supporting emerging Indonesian researchers to strengthen international research collaboration, develop policy-relevant research, and build enduring academic networks between Australia and Indonesia.
Both fellows first engaged with the ANU Indonesia Project through the KONEKSI Eastern Indonesia Research Boot Camps in Bali and Semarang in 2025. Designed to support emerging researchers from Eastern Indonesia, the Boot Camps provide intensive training in research design, methodology, academic writing and presentation skills. Throughout the program, Chreisye and Nurliah demonstrated a strong commitment to high-quality research and collaboration, making them outstanding candidates for the Visiting Fellows program.
Strengthening equitable health systems
Dr Chreisye K. F. Mandagi is a medical doctor, public health researcher and lecturer at Sam Ratulangi University in Manado, and is currently completing the final year of her PhD at Universitas Indonesia.
Her research focuses on strengthening primary healthcare systems to improve the implementation of complete basic immunisation policies in remote, island and border areas of North Sulawesi Province. Applying a gender and social inclusion perspective, the research examines disparities in access to immunisation services experienced by women, children and people with disability, while considering the challenges created by geographic isolation, household decision-making, accessibility of health services and local socio-cultural contexts.
During her fellowship at ANU, Chreisye will refine this research into a high-impact international publication, focusing on policy innovation and adaptive governance strategies for equitable immunisation delivery in geographically challenging settings. She also looks forward to engaging with ANU researchers working in public policy and governance, health systems and implementation science, and gender, disability and social inclusion.
Supporting inclusive coastal food systems
Dr Nurliah Buhari is a lecturer at Universitas Mataram and completed her PhD in Marine Biology and Fisheries at Universitas Hasanuddin in 2022. Her research focuses on marine biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and food systems.
During her fellowship, Nurliah will further develop two complementary research projects. The first examines university students' perceptions of Madak—a traditional low-tide marine resource harvesting practice in West Nusa Tenggara—and explores its social, cultural, economic and environmental significance for coastal communities. The study, which began through the KONEKSI Boot Camp program, is currently being developed into a scientific publication.
Her second project investigates the potential of underutilised edible macroalgae to contribute to more inclusive coastal food system transformation in Lombok. Funded through IRSA 2026 and presented at the IRSA Conference in July, the research applies a Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) perspective to understand the social, cultural and behavioural factors influencing macroalgae consumption, while examining participation, access and benefit-sharing across coastal communities.
During her time at ANU, Nurliah is particularly looking forward to connecting with researchers in the Research School of Biology and the broader Indonesianist community as she develops new collaborations in marine and coastal research.
Building enduring research partnerships
The KONEKSI Visiting Fellows program reflects the shared commitment of the ANU Indonesia Project and KONEKSI to strengthening research capability and fostering long-term collaboration between Indonesian and Australian researchers.
By providing opportunities for researchers to expand international networks, refine research for publication, and engage with leading academics across disciplines, the fellowship contributes to stronger evidence-based research and deeper institutional partnerships between the two countries.
The ANU Indonesia Project looks forward to welcoming Chreisye and Nurliah to Canberra and following the next stage of their research journeys.