UQ and South-East Asia

Researchers from UQ and the Universitas Negeri Papua (State University of Papua) are taking up the challenge of developing HIV education for customary leaders in rural and remote areas of West Papua province so that they can support HIV prevention and care.

The Partnership for Australia–Indonesia Research (PAIR) is a bilateral research initiative of the Australia–Indonesia Centre, with support from the Indonesian and Australian Governments, the University of Queensland and other leading universities. PAIR seeks to enhance research linkage between Australia and Indonesia across a range of fields. Research is focused in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where UQ will contribute to research on agricultural commodities.

Selayar in Indonesia is the gateway to Taka Bonerate, a highly biodiverse marine national park, which is under serious threat from overexploitation and ocean plastic. To protect the area and other marine environments in the Coral Triangle, UQ researchers from CCRES developed strategies to strengthen coastal management.

UQ researchers are promoting regional approaches to make migration safer and criminalise the smuggling of migrants in Southeast Asia. The smuggling of migrants is a major concern in Southeast Asia. Every country in the region is affected as a source, transit region, or destination for migrants seeking protection or prosperity abroad.

Cattle are already a valuable part of Timor-Leste culture. However, cattle smallholders are mostly subsistence farmers, and livestock productivity is typically low. A team of UQ researchers is working with partners in Timor-Leste to increase smallholders’ wealth and livelihoods in the region by training Redi Kamodi community groups to shift from subsistence to semi-commercial farming practices.

With the immense environmental challenges the world faces, our ability to adapt is vital. An international research team led by Dr Pedro Fidelman engaged with stakeholders involved with the co-management of coastal resources in Cambodia and Vietnam with the aim of understanding the conditions that enable adaptive capacity.