Indonesia became this student’s classroom for economic policy

The New Colombo Plan is an Australian is an Australian Government initiative designed to build deeper ties with the Indo-Pacific. Each year, undergraduate students from The Australian National University (ANU) are selected to undertake study across the region.

ANU College of Business and Economics (CBE) student Amber Chen was among them. She headed to Parahyangan Catholic University in Indonesia, drawn by the country’s fast-growing economy and the policy challenges that come with it.

“Indonesia is one of Australia’s most important neighbours, yet I feel it is often overlooked in Australian public discussion,” she says. “I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of a country that is projected to become one of the world’s largest economies by 2050, and how Australia can strengthen its engagement with Southeast Asia, particularly in trade and climate cooperation.”

Amber pursued her goals through both academic and applied work.

“I wrote a 14,000-word research project using econometric methods to evaluate the impact of Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements on trade in digital services,” she says. “This had a field component where I spoke with Australian embassy experts and Indonesian government officials, and gained insights into how policy evaluation is approached in a real-world context.”

She also worked at a local development and climate think tank, writing policy briefs on topics such a parametric insurance and nature-based solutions.

“That experience gave me direct exposure to policy advisory work in an emerging context where constraints around implementation capacity, funding mechanisms and institutional coordination are more prominent than in Australia.”

Understanding the differences between the two contexts, Amber found her time in Indonesia refined both her econometric and applied policy analysis skills.

“I’ve become more focused on ensuring that empirical work is not only methodologically sound but also grounded in real-world policy constraints and implementation realities,” she says.

While Australia’s approach tends to be more analytically model-driven, explains Amber, Indonesia’s policy work is often more directly shaped by development priorities and delivery constraints.

Now working in the Australian Public Service (APS) and undertaking her Honours with the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Amber can see the direct benefit her time in Indonesia has had.

“It has strengthened my career aspirations. I remain focused on a career in economic policy, particularly within the context of the public sector, with a stronger emphasis on international collaboration and policy,” she says.

Reflecting on the value of an international perspective in the APS, Amber believes it helps ensure policy is not developed in isolation.

“In a globalised world, countries are becoming more interconnected through broader geopolitical and security challenges,” she says. “Australia relies heavily on its neighbours, so it is important to understand the perspectives, institutions and priorities of the countries we work closely with.”

Time abroad also builds skills that are harder to develop in a domestic setting, particularly cross-cultural communication.

“It builds cultural capability and a stronger understanding of how people communicate, negotiate and work across different environments, which is increasingly important in public policy and international engagement,” she explains. “Many of the challenges we face today – climate change, environmental policy, regional stability – require international collaboration.”

Cross-cultural experience, Amber argues, makes policy more robust, realistic and better aligned with Australia’s long-term regional interests.

Her parting advice to students considering studying abroad is to be actively engaged, and not the weeks pass you by.

“The real value of studying abroad comes from interacting with locals, engaging with organisations outside the classroom, and being open to different ways of thinking and working.”

The ANU College of Business and Economics offers an extensive range of specialised programs. Click here for more details.

Image credit: supplied by subject.