Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering has been appointed to serve on the inaugural board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre by the Hon Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs. In this role, the Vice-Chancellor will contribute to fostering closer ties between Australia and Southeast Asia.
The ASEAN-Australia Centre, which commenced operations in July, is the focal point of Australia’s engagement with the ten member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It works to strengthen people-to-people links, increase ties with national cultural institutions, support emerging leaders, drive business engagement, and deepen Australia’s trade and investment links.
Monash is Australia’s most international university with a deep presence across the region, including wholly-owned campuses in Malaysia and Indonesia, and partnership campuses in China at Monash Suzhou and in India at Monash-IITB Research Academy.
“The Monash global network of campuses and locations across the region affords us an unprecedented reach for our research and education to impact and change lives and communities at scale,” Professor Pickering said.
“As a globally connected institution, Monash University is actively contributing to Australia’s regional and global interests across education and research, facilitating collaboration, innovation, and cross-cultural understanding and exchange,” said Professor Pickering.
“We are a trusted and influential partner, anchored in our communities, contributing to peace and prosperity and fostering deep understanding and connectedness.
“It is an honour to be able to continue and enhance this work through the ASEAN-Australia Centre,” she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the formation of the ASEAN-Australia Centre in March at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, and it replaces the previous Australia-ASEAN Council.
Professor Pickering has been appointed to the ASEAN-Australia Centre for a three year term.
