Brian Fairman

Background

About Brian Fairman

I have worked in Indonesia and Timor-Leste for more than a decade, developing vocational training interventions for government, industry and the donor community. I have established the ASEAN Institute of Applied Learning to meet the needs of professionals working in vocational training in ASEAN nation states. I initiated an ‘English language centre’ with Muhammadiyah Foundation Indonesia and advised the Minister of Education-RDTL on educational policy, with respect to the design and plan for a vocational training system for Timor-Leste. I have conducted a rapid training needs analysis in Indonesia of the DFAT-IASTP specialised training programs and have published works on vocational education and training. I have worked in a variety of tertiary and vocational educational settings in Australia, managing national and international projects in Uzbekistan, India, Mongolia, Indonesia and Timor-Leste for international donors and businesses. My PhD focused on skills development and training and its impact on aid practices and their development outcomes, with particular reference to Indonesia and Timor-Leste. My research activities of late, have focused on the Indonesian Vocational Education Training system and human capability programs, examining the Indonesian policy of Kampus Merdeka and Industry engagement. I have co-edited a book on "Building a Culturally Relevant Workforce in Indonesia" published by Cambridge Scholars 2023. As a Senior Research Fellow at The Cairns Institute, James Cook University my research covers human capability development issues pertinent to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and the Pacific.