Call for Applications: Australia Indonesia Muslim Exchange 2009

Dear friends and colleagues,

Applications are now open for the 2009 Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange. Could you please circulate this email among any of your contacts that might be interested? Enquiries can be addressed to regould@unimelb. edu.au or ai-exchange@ unimelb.edu. au

Thank you and kind regards,

Rowan

Invitation:2009 Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange
Applications are invited from young Australian Muslim leaders to travel to Indonesia in the first half of 2009 under the Australia-Indonesia Muslim Leaders Exchange.

The Exchange was established by the Australia-Indonesia Institute in 2002 to enable young Muslim leaders in Australia and Indonesia to visit each others' countries for approximately two weeks to meet Muslims and non-Muslims, to exchange views and to share experiences.

Since 2002, 74 young Indonesian Muslim leaders have visited Australia and 23 young Australian Muslims leaders have travelled to Indonesia.

All costs are covered for the visit to Indonesia. Applications are due by13 February 2009. Applicants should be between 21 and 40, and an active member of the Muslim community in Australia.

The Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) supports a range of people-to-people exchanges aimed at promoting greater mutual awareness. The Muslim Leaders Exchange Program is intended to raise the level of informed opinion about Islam in both countries, increase awareness about the diversity of cultures and faiths in Australia and Indonesia, and encourage the development of links between Australian and Indonesian Muslims.

The Exchange is managed by the Islamic Council of Victoria with the support of the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.

HOW TO APPLY

Letters of application should include the following:

1 Brief Curriculum Vitae including contact details, date of birth, and summary of work and organisational experience and relevant qualifications.

2 A statement of purpose, containing the following information:
a) What you would hope to gain from participating in the Exchange;
b) What you can offer the Exchange, during and after the visit (such as creating better awareness among Australian Muslims about Indonesia, strengthening relationships and understanding between Islam and other religions, etc.);
c) An outline of your current involvement in the Muslim community in Australia;
d) How you would share and build on your experiences, during and after the program, with others;
e) An indication of people and organisations in Indonesia you would like to meet and particular topics you are interested in pursuing; and
f) Any previous visits to Indonesia (with dates).

3 Two letters of reference supporting your suitability for the Exchange, one of which should be a recommendation from an Islamic organization in Australia with which you are associated.

Further information can be obtained from ai-exchange@ unimelb.edu. au.

All applications must be received by 5pm AEDT, Friday 13 February 2009. Applications arriving after that date cannot be considered. Email applications are accepted, but references must be emailed/posted separately.

Short listed applicants will be invited for interview in early March 2009.

Applications should be sent to:
Director, Australia-Indonesia Muslim Leaders Exchange
Rm 230A, The Asia Institute
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE VIC 3010