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Registration open

Registration is now open for the third cohort of the program and will be closed on 23 February 2025.

The fellowship program will run from April to June 2025. For more information, download the Terms of Reference

The D4D Fellowships Program will support qualified Indonesian civil servants to undertake a three-month fellowship at CSIRO's data and digital specialist arm, Data61.

About the D4D Fellowships Program

The D4D Fellowship Program focuses on building capacity in data and design and facilitating locally-led innovation and solutions.

Participants travel from Indonesia to Australia for three months, working with experts at Data61 to solve complex, high-value development, data-related problems.

Data61's capabilities range from cybersecurity, confidential computing, robotics, machine learning and analytics, software and programming, to behavioural sciences and more.

The program aims to:

  • provide data specialists from Indonesia with access to high-end professional development opportunities in Australia, advancing their knowledge and skills
  • provide technical skills training targeted at helping the fellows to solve complex, high-value development and data-related problems
  • build data skills within the fellows’ originating agencies through their participation in the program and ongoing engagement with established networks
  • develop long-term institutional links between Australian and Indonesian organisations
  • contribute to cyber resilience and sustainable economic development in Indonesia

Fellows will live in Australia over the three-month fellowship, with all expenses covered by the D4D Fellowships Program. Fellows are supported through the program to apply for appropriate visas and insurance documents, find accommodation, and acclimatise to Australia. Fellows will be hosted by Data61 in Canberra, Sydney, Perth or Melbourne.

Your video or audio is here! ID: {A50B33A4-2D7F-4E67-8116-88E6DEB96D91}

Priority Project Themes

In alignment with the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, the program will prioritise project proposals that address one or more of the following 8 priority themes:

  1. Combatting the evolving challenges of cybercrime, including ransomware;
  2. Identifying vulnerabilities and protecting critical infrastructure and government systems from cyber threats;
  3. Responding to, and managing, cyber incidents;
  4. Promoting the safe use of emerging technology;
  5. Supporting the growth of a secure digital economy and/or electronic-based government system;
  6. Shaping, upholding, and defending international cyber rules, norms, and standards;
  7. Promoting cyber awareness, including cyber threat awareness training and education;
  8. Promoting and upholding an open, secure, accessible and peaceful cyberspace.

What you’ll get out of the program

Participating in the D4D Fellowships Program will provide you with:

  • opportunities to be mentored by experts in your field
  • networking opportunities with Australian researchers and engineers, seeking and sharing advice and guidance
  • the control to oversee the direction of your project in consultation with your agency supervisors
  • access to, and participation in, the Australia Awards Indonesia (AAI) alumni network
  • additional opportunities to benefit your career, increase your capability and confidence to tackle challenges with data, and to lead organisational change

The D4D Program is managed by CSIRO and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Requirements to apply for the program

To participate in the program, you must:

  1. Be a civil servant from a targeted Government of Indonesia ministry or agency
  2. Have significant cybersecurity capability, preferably with skills in data analytics (AI/ML)
  3. Have a clearly defined problem and a viable proposal for how to address the issue
  4. Have full support from their ministry/agency, both during the fellowship and for implementation of outcomes upon their return
  5. Be in the appropriate position to implement the project upon return from Australia
  6. Be eligible to travel and stay in Australia for three months
  7. Be able to participate within the fellowship timetable, including post-fellowship activity
  8. Be fluent in English*

English language competency

* The applicant’s English language competency is part of the selection process; however, there will be no official language test. The assessment of language competency is based on a phone interview and any additional evidence provided by the applicant (for example: proof of studies or living in an English-speaking country or working in an English-speaking environment; completion of studies in English, or language course or language tests).

What our alumni thought about the D4D Program

Fajar Wijitrisnanto, Cybersecurity Analyst at BSSN

"The flexibility at CSIRO is key to achieving impact. The team at CSIRO also has strong technical and interpersonal skills. We engage in discussions and share information, because involving more people makes finding solutions easier. For my Indonesian colleagues interested in applying to this program, key things to prepare or have in mind is a project you wish to support, and a clear problem statement supported by your organisation. Additionally, you should be confident in your abilities, knowing that the great people in the Data61 team will assist you. Lastly, be prepared in terms of language proficiency."

— Fajar Wijitrisnanto, Cybersecurity Analyst at the National Agency of Cyber and Crypto of Indonesia (BSSN).

Arif Handoyo, Statistician, BPS

"I gained valuable new knowledge and broadened my horizons about data science from CSIRO through this program. They provided me with a lot of advice and insights, not only from the mentors but also from the teams in remote sensing and high-performance computing. What you traditionally can do in one week, you can do in one hour with CSIRO. Mentors, buddies, and project managers—everyone offers advice, guidance, and alternative solution which is a key component to the success of this program. We meet weekly but members of the team are available to talk at any time and always provide the highest degree of professionalism."

— Arif Handoyo, at Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Indonesia.

Examples of past projects

To date, four fellows have successfully completed their fellowship programs in Australia. Among them are:

Fajar Wijitrisnanto from the National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia (BSSN) leveraged the program to improve the quality of cybersecurity threat intelligence sharing, with the aim of ensuring organisations part of the Information Sharing & Analysis Center (ISAC) program receive relevant and sector-based threat information with strong predictive capabilities, helping them better prepare for cyber-attacks.

Arif Handoyo from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Indonesia advanced a mixed-method approach (combining field data with satellite imagery) currently being used to estimate paddy production in Indonesia. The enhanced technical capabilities, including remote sensing, are intended to resolve challenges such as pre-processing satellite image and choosing the correct ground truth that affects the accuracy of machine learning models to better assess paddy fields at various stages of growth.

The D4D Fellowship Program is modelled off the Australian Public Service (APS) Data Fellowship Program.

Timeline of the program

The indicative timeline for the application, selection process and fellowship component of the program is as follows:

Program timeline
Date Action

1 – 23 Feb 2025

Stage 1: Call for applicatons

Applicants to submit CV and project proposal

24 – 28 Feb 2025

Applications reviewed; applicants to be notified of success

3 – 7 Mar 2025

Stage 2: Panel Interview

Shortlisted applicants and their supervisors will be invited for online interviews by the joint selection panel.

10 Mar 2025

Announcement of successful fellows

10 Mar – 7 Apr 2025

Pre-departure preparation

  • Fellows to conduct pre-fellowship activities that can be delivered remotely.
  • Fellows to prepare their 3-month module plans (see section I for sample) and identify relevant stakeholders to connect in Australia
  • Data preparation
  • Travel arrangement and visa application.

7 Apr – 30 Jun 2025

Fellowship conducted in Australia

  • Fellows regularly check-in with supervisors and teams at their originating agencies, providing a short progress report at a minimum of every four weeks.
  • Fellows secure agreement with supervisors on a post-fellowship plan of action.
  • Fellows deliver final presentation to wider stakeholders in Australia and Indonesia to share the final progress of the project

How to Apply

Aspiring applicants from Indonesia’s National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) are requested to submit the following items:

Apply via email

All documents must be submitted via email in English with subject D4D Fellowships Program Application no later than 23 Feb 2025 - 23:59 Jakarta Time to pengembangan.kompetensi@bssn.go.id and cc: D4DFellowships@csiro.au; reza.nugraha@csiro.au

Questions

Questions about the program or the selection process can be sent to D4DFellowships@csiro.au; cc: reza.nugraha@csiro.au.

Download our program brochure 

Registration open

Registration is now open for the third cohort of the program and will be closed on 23 February 2025.

The fellowship program will run from April to June 2025. For more information, download the Terms of Reference DOCX (69 KB)

The D4D Fellowships Program will support qualified Indonesian civil servants to undertake a three-month fellowship at CSIRO's data and digital specialist arm, Data61.

About the D4D Fellowships Program

The D4D Fellowship Program focuses on building capacity in data and design and facilitating locally-led innovation and solutions.

Participants travel from Indonesia to Australia for three months, working with experts at Data61 to solve complex, high-value development, data-related problems.

Data61's capabilities range from cybersecurity, confidential computing, robotics, machine learning and analytics, software and programming, to behavioural sciences and more.

The program aims to:

  • provide data specialists from Indonesia with access to high-end professional development opportunities in Australia, advancing their knowledge and skills
  • provide technical skills training targeted at helping the fellows to solve complex, high-value development and data-related problems
  • build data skills within the fellows’ originating agencies through their participation in the program and ongoing engagement with established networks
  • develop long-term institutional links between Australian and Indonesian organisations
  • contribute to cyber resilience and sustainable economic development in Indonesia

Fellows will live in Australia over the three-month fellowship, with all expenses covered by the D4D Fellowships Program. Fellows are supported through the program to apply for appropriate visas and insurance documents, find accommodation, and acclimatise to Australia. Fellows will be hosted by Data61 in Canberra, Sydney, Perth or Melbourne.

[Music plays and an image appears of the CSIRO Ian Wark Laboratory building, and then the image changes to show the Australian Coat of Arms CSIRO logo on the side of a building]

[Images move through to show Octavia Rizky Prasetyo presenting, inside roof lights, a CSIRO ARRC sign on the side of a building, and then two colleagues using laptops]

[Image changes to show a split circle, and photos move through of CSIRO activities in either side of the circle, and then the circle morphs into the CSIRO logo]

[Image changes to show Amelia Fyfield talking to the camera, and text appears: Amelia Fyfield, CSIRO Director Southeast Asia]

Amelia Fyfield:  The Data 4 Development program is a flagship of CSIRO's engagement with Indonesia.

[Images move through to show the CSIRO logo on a building, views of personnel moving in and

around the Ian Wark Laboratory building, and three male colleagues walking towards the camera]

D4D empowers high performing data specialists from partner government agencies in South East Asia to use best practice technology to support economic growth and sustainable development.

[Images move between views of colleagues looking at a laptop together, views of the ARCC building,

Octavia presenting, colleagues looking at an open laptop, and then in conversation with a male]

Selected fellows undertake a three month fellowship in Australia, working with experts at CSIRO's data and digital specialist arm Data61 to solve complex high value development and data related problems.

[Images move through to show Brendan Dowling talking to the camera, Amelia presenting, and then Fajar Wijitrisnanto presenting, and text appears: Mr Brendan Dowling, Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade]

Brendan Dowling:  Australia is committed to partnering with Indonesia to harness the opportunities and address the challenges posed by the region's expanding digital connectivity.

[Images move through to show Brendan talking to the camera, the Badan Siber dan Sandi Negara building (BSSN), a statue of Dr Roebiono Kertopati, and then Brendan talking to the camera again]

CSIRO's Data61 is working with key Indonesian government agencies to improve cyber resilience and unlock the power of digital technologies to support sustainable economic development in our region.

[Images move through to show Amelia presenting, the BPS building, BSSN building, and then a four way split screen of Octavia, Faja, Arif Handoyo and Dika Atmawati Sukaedi all talking at once]

Amelia Fyfield:  Partnering with two Indonesian government agencies, the Central Bureau of Statistics or BPS, and the National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia or BSSN, we’ve welcomed four qualified civil servants to join our Data 4 Development program as fellows.

[Image changes to show Arif Handoyo talking to the camera, and text appears: Arif Handoyo, D4D Fellow 2023 BPS-Statistics Indonesia]

Arif Handoyo:  I'm Arif Handoyo Marsuhandi. I come from BPS Statistics Indonesia.

[Image changes to show Arif walking down stairs, and then the image changes to show Arif talking to the camera]

I’m building a model to classify the paddy growth phase from the remote sensing and the build phase.

[Images move through to show Dr Eric Lehmann and colleagues walking together, Eric talking to the camera, Eric and colleagues walking down the stairs, and Eric talking to the camera, and text appears: Dr. Eric Lehmann, D4D Mentor, CSIRO Data61]

Dr Eric Lehmann:  It's been very rewarding to be able to host Arif here for for two to three months. It's allowed me to to be exposed to a different problem that I hadn't worked on before and also to to improve my skills in collaboration and mentoring.

[Image changes to show Fajar talking to the camera, and text appears: Fajar Wijitrisnanto, D4D Fellow 2023, National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia]

Fajar Wijitrisnanto:  My name is Fajar Wijitrisnanto and I am from the National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia.

[Image changes to show Fajar talking with colleagues, and then the image changes to show Fajar talking to the camera]

I came to Australia to better solve my agency's problem which is related to cyber threat intelligence.

[Images move through to show Dr Alsharif Abuadbba pointing at Fajar’s laptop screen, Fajar talking to the camera and then Alsharif watching Arif pointing at Fajar writing on a whiteboard]

By doing that, we hope that we could increase the other organisation’s cybersecurity resilience.

[Image changes to show Alsharif Abuadbba talking to the camera, Alsharif pointing at Fajar’s laptop and then Alsharif talking to the camera, and text appears: Dr Alsharif Abuadbba, D4D Mentor, CSIRO Data61]

Dr Alsharif Abuadbba:  The collaboration was great in the sense that they have the field experience and the pain. We have the the depth of the cybersecurity understanding and the AI and we combine those two. So I could see it as a win-win experience.

[Image changes to show Octavia talking to the camera, and text appears: Octavia Rizky Prasetyo, D4D Fellow 2024, BPS-Statistics Indonesia]

Octavia Rizky Prasetyo:  My name is Octavia Rizky Prasetyo.

[Images move through to show Octavia walking downstairs with colleagues, views of Octavia listening to colleagues, and then Octavia’s hands typing]

The project focuses on developing an alternative methodology to estimate a rice yield.

[Image changes to show a laptop screen featuring ‘Methodology’, and then the image changes to show Octavia talking]

It is built upon Arif’s project as well.

[Image changes to show Octavia’s hand pointing at the laptop screen, and then the image changes to show Octavia talking to the camera]

We can use them to estimate the price production.

[Image changes to show Dika talking to the camera]

Dika Atmawati Sukaedi:  My name is Dika Atmawati Sukaedi.

[Image changes to show Dika walking with a male into the CSIRO building, and then the image changes to show Dika talking to the camera, and text appears: Dika Atmawati Sukaedi, D4D Fellow 2024, National Cyber and Crypto Agency]

My project is about cyber security index analysis.

[Images move through to show Dika walking downstairs with a male, Dika talking with the male, and then views of Dika giving a presentation]

Here with my mentor at Data61, I would like to tailor the suitable cyber security index for Indonesia.

[Images move through to show rear views of audiences listening to a presenter, Fajar holding a microphone, Octavia presenting with Arif, views of Arif presenting, and then colleagues posing]

Amelia Fyfield:  After completing their fellowship in Australia, fellows returned to their respective agencies to share their progress, knowledge and experience with their colleagues and the Australian Global Alumni Network in Indonesia.

[Image changes to show Dr. Eng Imam Machdi M.T. talking to the camera, and text appears: Dr. Eng Imam Machdi M.T., Deputy of Methodology and Statistical Information, BPS-Statistics Indonesia]

Dr. Eng Imam Machdi M.T.:  This program is really beneficial for us.

[Image changes to show a large group of colleagues working on laptops, and then the image changes to show Fajar presenting]

We can use the Earth observation to produce the official statistics in agriculture.

[Image changes to show a large group of colleagues posing for a photo, and then the image changes to show Imam talking to the camera]

We collaborate with the National Development Planning Ministry and also the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Research and Innovation Agency to bring up this project into reality.

[Images move through to show Drs. Slamet Aji Pamungkas talking to the camera, Slamet presenting, colleagues posing, Fajar presenting, and then Slamet talking to the camera, and text appears: Drs. Slamet Aji Pamungkas, Deputy for Cyber Security and Economic Cryptography, The National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia]

Drs. Slamet Aji Pamungkas:  This program is highly beneficial as it enhances the skills, abilities and expertise of the human resources at BSSN, thereby supporting cybersecurity in Indonesia.

[Images move through to show Octavia walking downstairs with colleagues, Octavia in conversation with a male, a rice plantation, busy city streets, a mountainous coastal view, and a female smiling]

Amelia Fyfield:  We hope that through this fellowship we can drive impactful solutions, build stronger collaborations and share the benefits to broader communities, not only in Indonesia but across the region.

[Music plays as image changes to show a white screen with the Australian Coat of Arms on the left beside the CSIRO logo on the right]

Priority Project Themes

In alignment with the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, the program will prioritise project proposals that address one or more of the following 8 priority themes:

  1. Combatting the evolving challenges of cybercrime, including ransomware;
  2. Identifying vulnerabilities and protecting critical infrastructure and government systems from cyber threats;
  3. Responding to, and managing, cyber incidents;
  4. Promoting the safe use of emerging technology;
  5. Supporting the growth of a secure digital economy and/or electronic-based government system;
  6. Shaping, upholding, and defending international cyber rules, norms, and standards;
  7. Promoting cyber awareness, including cyber threat awareness training and education;
  8. Promoting and upholding an open, secure, accessible and peaceful cyberspace.

What you’ll get out of the program

Participating in the D4D Fellowships Program will provide you with:

  • opportunities to be mentored by experts in your field
  • networking opportunities with Australian researchers and engineers, seeking and sharing advice and guidance
  • the control to oversee the direction of your project in consultation with your agency supervisors
  • access to, and participation in, the Australia Awards Indonesia (AAI) alumni network
  • additional opportunities to benefit your career, increase your capability and confidence to tackle challenges with data, and to lead organisational change

The D4D Program is managed by CSIRO and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Requirements to apply for the program

To participate in the program, you must:

  1. Be a civil servant from a targeted Government of Indonesia ministry or agency
  2. Have significant cybersecurity capability, preferably with skills in data analytics (AI/ML)
  3. Have a clearly defined problem and a viable proposal for how to address the issue
  4. Have full support from their ministry/agency, both during the fellowship and for implementation of outcomes upon their return
  5. Be in the appropriate position to implement the project upon return from Australia
  6. Be eligible to travel and stay in Australia for three months
  7. Be able to participate within the fellowship timetable, including post-fellowship activity
  8. Be fluent in English*

English language competency

* The applicant’s English language competency is part of the selection process; however, there will be no official language test. The assessment of language competency is based on a phone interview and any additional evidence provided by the applicant (for example: proof of studies or living in an English-speaking country or working in an English-speaking environment; completion of studies in English, or language course or language tests).

What our alumni thought about the D4D Program

Fajar Wijitrisnanto, Cybersecurity Analyst at BSSN

"The flexibility at CSIRO is key to achieving impact. The team at CSIRO also has strong technical and interpersonal skills. We engage in discussions and share information, because involving more people makes finding solutions easier. For my Indonesian colleagues interested in applying to this program, key things to prepare or have in mind is a project you wish to support, and a clear problem statement supported by your organisation. Additionally, you should be confident in your abilities, knowing that the great people in the Data61 team will assist you. Lastly, be prepared in terms of language proficiency."

— Fajar Wijitrisnanto, Cybersecurity Analyst at the National Agency of Cyber and Crypto of Indonesia (BSSN).

Arif Handoyo, Statistician, at BPS Statistics Indonesia

"I gained valuable new knowledge and broadened my horizons about data science from CSIRO through this program. They provided me with a lot of advice and insights, not only from the mentors but also from the teams in remote sensing and high-performance computing. What you traditionally can do in one week, you can do in one hour with CSIRO. Mentors, buddies, and project managers—everyone offers advice, guidance, and alternative solution which is a key component to the success of this program. We meet weekly but members of the team are available to talk at any time and always provide the highest degree of professionalism."

— Arif Handoyo, at Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Indonesia.

Examples of past projects

To date, four fellows have successfully completed their fellowship programs in Australia. Among them are:

Fajar Wijitrisnanto from the National Cyber and Crypto Agency of Indonesia (BSSN) leveraged the program to improve the quality of cybersecurity threat intelligence sharing, with the aim of ensuring organisations part of the Information Sharing & Analysis Center (ISAC) program receive relevant and sector-based threat information with strong predictive capabilities, helping them better prepare for cyber-attacks.

Arif Handoyo from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Indonesia advanced a mixed-method approach (combining field data with satellite imagery) currently being used to estimate paddy production in Indonesia. The enhanced technical capabilities, including remote sensing, are intended to resolve challenges such as pre-processing satellite image and choosing the correct ground truth that affects the accuracy of machine learning models to better assess paddy fields at various stages of growth.

The D4D Fellowship Program is modelled off the Australian Public Service (APS) Data Fellowship Program.

Timeline of the program

The indicative timeline for the application, selection process and fellowship component of the program is as follows:

Program timeline
Date Action

1 – 23 Feb 2025

Stage 1: Call for applicatons

Applicants to submit CV and project proposal

24 – 28 Feb 2025

Applications reviewed; applicants to be notified of success

3 – 7 Mar 2025

Stage 2: Panel Interview

Shortlisted applicants and their supervisors will be invited for online interviews by the joint selection panel.

10 Mar 2025

Announcement of successful fellows

10 Mar – 7 Apr 2025

Pre-departure preparation

  • Fellows to conduct pre-fellowship activities that can be delivered remotely.
  • Fellows to prepare their 3-month module plans (see section I for sample) and identify relevant stakeholders to connect in Australia
  • Data preparation
  • Travel arrangement and visa application.

7 Apr – 30 Jun 2025

Fellowship conducted in Australia

  • Fellows regularly check-in with supervisors and teams at their originating agencies, providing a short progress report at a minimum of every four weeks.
  • Fellows secure agreement with supervisors on a post-fellowship plan of action.
  • Fellows deliver final presentation to wider stakeholders in Australia and Indonesia to share the final progress of the project

How to Apply

Aspiring applicants from Indonesia’s National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) are requested to submit the following items:

Apply via email

All documents must be submitted via email in English with subject D4D Fellowships Program Application no later than 23 Feb 2025 - 23:59 Jakarta Time to pengembangan.kompetensi@bssn.go.id and cc: D4DFellowships@csiro.au; reza.nugraha@csiro.au

Questions

Questions about the program or the selection process can be sent to D4DFellowships@csiro.au; cc: reza.nugraha@csiro.au.

Download our program brochure  PDF (429 KB)

Our Collaborators

Apply for the D4D Fellowships Program

All documents must be submitted via email in English with subject D4D Fellowships Program Application no later than 23 Feb 2025 - 23:59 Jakarta Time.

Apply via email

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