The ANU Indonesia Project was among the first centres outside Indonesia that created a platform to bring together important information about COVID-19 in Indonesia. As Indonesia reported its first two COVID-19 cases on March 2, 2020, the pandemic grew into twin crises: health and economy. Concerned with the rapid increase of positive cases around the world and the possible ramifications to the socio-economic life, a group of Indonesia Project members led by Dr Arianto Patunru (Policy Engagement Coordinator), launched the website, “Indonesia Project on COVID-19”, the contents of which is now collected and shared on this ANU Indonesia Project Online Archive. The ANU Indonesia Project felt an urgent need to create this portal to provide an information hub for those following COVID’s progression and impact in Indonesia. The initiative quickly gained traction, and the following pages bring together the policy briefs, conference and commentaries of some of the world’s top Indonesianists, including partners and members of the ANU Indonesia Project, to help inform and develop responses to the outbreak.

In addition to published briefs, news and research, the ANU Indonesia Project launched a seminar series featuring important and well-known speakers from academia (e.g., Dr M Chatib Basri, Prof Sharyn Davies, Prof Iwan Jaya Azis, Dr Ines Atmosukarto, and Dr Pandu Riono), policy makers (e.g., Vice Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara, Minister of Research and Technology Bambang Brodjonegoro, and Jakarta’s Deputy Governor Suharti Sutar), NGOs (LaporCOVID19, Indonesia AIDS Coalition), international organisations (World Bank, OECD, ADB), private sector (e.g. Duithape, Investree, Koperasi Kasih Indonesia, KPMG), and media (Tempo, The Jakarta Post). The topics covered were wide ranging, from health, vaccinations, socio-economic implications of the pandemic, gender consequences, fintech’s roles, impacts on children and vulnerable people, etc. From March 2020 to December 2021, the Project organised around 35 web seminars on COVID-19 which can be found the 2020 and 2021 Global Seminar Series tabs of this online archive.

If you have any suggestions for future engagements, either for webinars or research collaboration, please contact us at Indonesia.Project@anu.edu.au

We would like to thank The Australian National University and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their continuous supports.

Arianto A. Patunru

Policy Engagement