From October 22-25, YCAPS, in partnership with La Trobe Asia, hosted the first in-person workshop of its Maritime GENIE (Governance Expanded Network for Incubation and Education) program in Sydney, Australia. The workshop, generously funded by the Australian Government’s Australia-ASEAN Council, brought together seven early-career researchers and diplomats from Australia and Southeast Asia dedicated to strengthening Australia-ASEAN relations and advancing maritime governance.
The workshop kicked off with a Maritime Heritage Seminar led by Dr. Natali Pearson, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney’s Southeast Asia Centre, which offered the participants insights into the significance of heritage and cultural preservation on Australia’s maritime identity. Later, participants visited the Lowy Institute, where they met with Rahman Yacoob, Oliver Nobetai, Jack Sato, Grace Stanhope and Davis Vallance. The participants could engage with leading voices in the maritime policy landscape. Closing out the day, participants experienced Australia’s maritime culture firsthand by watching the Royal Fleet Review along Sydney Harbour for His Majesty King Charles III’s official visit to Australia.
On the second day, participants met with experts from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and participated in a seminar on Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific Maritime Security led by Darshana Mozinder Baruah from the Australia India Institute, gaining insights into Australia's regional maritime engagement initiatives across the Indo-Pacific region.
On the final day, participants traveled to the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney (USSC) for an engaging conversation with Tom Corben, Alice Nason, Ester Soulard and Christoper Watterson. Discussion focused on AUKUS and its implications on Australia’s foreign policy and defense. At the end of the workshop, GENIE participants pitched their maritime governance innovations to a government official who flew in from Canberra to meet and engage with the GENIE participants.
For more information about the Maritime GENIE program, please click here. Support for the program is generously provided by the Australia-ASEAN Council. Media inquiries can be directed to Sam Baron (sam.baron@ycaps.org) or Kate Clayton (k.clayton@latrobe.edu.au).