sTRengThening lOcAl ReseARch in A glObAl cOnTexT

59

60

Strengthening local reSearch in a global context

Map of Aceh, Indonesia 2

3 About ARTI 5 Acehnese History and Leadership 7 Research for Development and Policy-making in Indonesia
The Aceh Educational Context: Building Human Capacity for Development 7 ARTIs Response 8 Opportunities to Build Local Research Skills 10 Contextual Constraints and Considerations 11

10 Research Training in a Conflict and Natural Disaster Recovery Zone

15 Many Ways of Knowing: Social Research Training Courses

and Building Research Culture

Participants Backgrounds 15 Pedagogical Approach and Course Design 17 Using Elicitive Methods with Local Examples 19 Level One: An Introduction to Research Methods 20 Level Two: Discipline-specific Research Methods 23 Level Three: Field Research, Academic Mentoring, and Publishing 25 Level 3 Fellows and Their Research Topics 30 Sehat Ihsan 34 Inayatillah 35 Irfan Zikri 37 Hamdani 38 Cut Ajaa Fauziah 39

34 Case Studies of Individual Participants

40 Overcoming Isolation, Fostering Linkages: Regional and

International Research Collaboration

1

Promoting Regional Academic Collaboration 40 Communicating Research 41 PhD Travel Grants 46 Digital Library Development 48 Future Directions 49 Lecturers and Mentors 53 Abbreviations and Acronyms 55

50 The ARTI people

Map of Aceh, Indonesia

ARTI research training courses were held in the marked locations.

Banda Aceh

Bireuen

Lhokseumawe

Meulaboh

Takengon

Map of the region showing location of Aceh

About ARTI
The Aceh Research Training Institute (ARTI) was established in response to the devastation caused by the tsunami of 26 December 2004 to higher education institutions in Aceh, Indonesia. Its goal is to build local capacity for undertaking high quality, relevant social science research in the humanities and social sciences to be used by the higher education sector, government and NGOs, and providing the essential skills for evidence-based policy making. ARTI is an initiative of four Indonesian and eight Australian universities, supported by the Myer Foundation and AusAID. ARTI was included in the Australian Governments Aceh Rehabilitation Program, as it accords with AusAIDs Development Research Strategy 200810. ARTI came under the direction of Professor Samsul Rizal, ViceRector for Academic Affairs at Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and Professor Michael Leigh at the University of Melbourne, Australia. ARTIs programs focus on expanding the quality and accessibility of locally produced research, and aim to contribute to the development of a vibrant research community through training courses, research opportunities and the fostering of new research networks in Aceh and beyond. ARTIs principal objective is to build the capacity of individual researchers through training courses, networking opportunities, fieldwork and academic mentoring. In addition to the training program, ARTI offers travel grants to Indonesian and international PhD students to come to Aceh and contribute to courses, share resources and network with local researchers and course participants. ARTIs programs create opportunities to share resources and expand personal networks by bringing together a significant cohort of Indonesian and international academics. Though ARTI was a new initiative, it built upon a 30-year history of Indonesian social science research training, pioneered at this very Centre in Aceh. In 1974, The Social Science Research Training Centre [Pusat Latihan Penelitian Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial] was established at Syiah Kuala University, following the recommendations of a report written by Professor

The first Level 1 course to meet at the newly constructed ARTI annex of the PLPISB building, together with Team Leader Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder and lecturer Dr Ron Witton.

Left: The Aceh Socio-cultural Research Training Centre and ARTI annex. Top right: Dr Syamsuddin Mahmud, Director of PLPIIS 197881, later appointed Governor of Aceh. Lower right: Prof Michael Leigh, TAU PLPIIS 197879, and Director of ARTI.

Clifford Geertz who addressed the critical need to raise the quality of research and teaching in the social sciences throughout Indonesia.1 The Research Centre in Aceh was the first such centre in the archipelago. Such was its status in Aceh that the Centre was assigned one of two buildings donated by the people of Aceh to welcome the founding of the new University. Though the Centre, the Pusat Latihan Penelitian Ilmu-Ilmu Social (PLPIIS), has always been part of Syiah Kuala University, its mission has been to train researchers from many Universities, Islamic Institutes and research sections of government departments. Capacity-building in situ has been a fundamental aim of this program since its inception. For the first 20 years of its operation, trainees came to Aceh from all provinces of Indonesia, and Acehnese were in turn sent to the Social Science Research Training Centres that were subsequently

established at Hasanuddin University in Makassar, and the University of Indonesia in Jakarta. The Ford Foundation and the international aid agencies of Germany, USA, Australia, France, Japan and the Netherlands supported location of expert staff at the Research Training Centres. During the period 1974 2004 some 310 trainees completed a year-long program of research training in Aceh, and each of their research reports provide a base-line understanding of societal change in Aceh. ARTI has now made available all of those reports in digital format. The report that follows explains in more detail the ways in which ARTIs programs contribute to the development of a vibrant and sustainable research community in Aceh with the hope that this account will allow other provinces in Indonesia to refine, adapt and adopt some of the many measures that have been employed, thus increasing their own research capacity.

1. Acehs Social Science Research Training Centre [PLPIIS] was guided by the Indonesian Social Science Foundation [YIIS] with initial funding from the Ford Foundation, and continuing funding allocations from the Ministry of Higher Education. Three such centres were established in 197476 in order to support social science research. The hallmark of this program in Aceh was to conduct evidencebased grounded research, with key research questions informed by substantial early fieldwork. For its first 20 years, the Social Science Research Training Centre had a foreign research mentor [Tenaga Ahli Utama] working under an Acehnese director. Twelve Indonesian trainee researchers (from provinces other than Aceh) took part in the program for one full year. They lived at the university, spent significant periods conducting fieldwork throughout Aceh, and met regularly to discuss progress on their individual projects. With the intensification of civil conflict in Aceh, from the 1990s it was no longer possible for trainees from elsewhere in Indonesia to effectively carry out research in Aceh. Rather than close the PLPIIS, Universitas Syiah Kuala chose to continue these programs with Acehnese trainees, and senior teaching staff. The late Rector, Professor Dayan Dawood, Supreme Court Justice Hakim Nya Pha and Professor Bahrein Sugihen served as directors of what then came to be known as the PLPISB during this most difficult period of armed conflict in Aceh.

Acehnese history and leadership

The Critical Context Violence
Aceh is resource rich and development poor. It is a province with a proud history, but one that has been characterized by intense civil conflicts, most of which lasted for up to a generation. The Dutch subjugation of Aceh did not commence until the end of the nineteenth century and became a costly and frustrating exercise over five decades. Perhaps it never completely succeeded, except in strengthening Islam as the unifying factor throughout Acehnese society. The Dutch never re-established their authority in Aceh following the Japanese period, unlike the remainder of Indonesia. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the economy simply stagnated, the only growth area being the illegal smuggling trade with Malaysia. Following the military coups in 1965, and the assumption of power by Lt. General Suharto, the rich liquid natural gas (LNG) deposits at Arun in northern Aceh became an important source of wealth and foreign exchange for the national exchequer; it was a high-tech enclave surrounded by poor farmers. That flow of wealth out of the province was deeply resented by Acehnese, especially as the province remained an economic backwater in all other respects. The ideology of the Suharto Government was strongly pro-economic development, and the exploitation of LNG from the mid-1970s onward was trumpeted as proof that Aceh was entering a new era. However, apart from the expansion of schools and health clinics throughout Aceh, virtually all other parts of the provincial economy were neglected. Even the trunk road linking Banda Aceh to Medan remained in poor condition. Gerakan Aceh Merdeka [GAM, Aceh Independence movement] was formed in 1976, and it drew its strongest support from northern Aceh through to Pidie. The Suharto Government did not countenance opposition, particularly those who challenged the territorial integrity of the nation state, and responded brutally to the growing dissatisfaction in Aceh. The three decades prior to the impact of the Indian Ocean tsunami were marked by phases of intense brutality, as both sides fought to the death. Neither permitted those caught in between to be neutral, frequently at pain of torture or death. The estimated death toll from that armed conflict exceeds 15,000. Those three decades of continuing violence, trauma and personal intimidation impacted upon the lives of most Acehnese. With the 2005 signing of the Helsinki peace agreement, followed by a free election that saw Irwandi Yusuf, a local leader of GAM, win the office of provincial Governor, Aceh entered a critical phase during which civil society could begin to function again. However, unless there are major improvements in livelihoods, there is continuing fear that physical conflict will resume, as that has been the norm for so much of Acehs recent history.

Acehnese Leadership: Ullebalang, Ulama and Technocrats

In 1946 a social revolution took place within Aceh. The object of the night of long knives was the ullebalang, the Dutch-supported aristocratic class. The victors were the ulama, the religious scholars, who expected that they would have an influential part shaping the new nation, and ensuring that the nascent nation of Indonesia would have a sound Islamic foundation. To the chagrin of the ulama, the Republican national leadership in Jakarta did not adopt Islam as the basis of the new nation and, to add insult to injury, went on to subsume Aceh within the broader province of North Sumatra. Ulama enthusiastically supported the Darul Islam movement that began the fight to re-establish Indonesia on an Islamic basis. For most of the 1950s, Aceh was territory hostile to central authority. It was not until 1961 that peace was signed between the Acehnese ulama leader, Daud Beureuh, and the central Government of President Soekarno. Aceh was designated Daerah Istimewa, a special province. But that special status soon turned out to be more symbolic than real. One of the two conditions upon which the Acehnese agreed to end support for the Darul Islam revolt and to lay down their arms, was that Syiah

Handing in of GAM weapons under the 2005 peace agreement.

International visitors to the Aceh Governors palace a year after the signing 0f the 2005 peace agreement.

Kuala University would be founded, on a fresh new site called Darussalam, the abode of peace. Acehnese saw education as key to the future. Alongside Syiah Kuala University stands IAIN Ar-Raniry, the State Islamic Institute. Such is the importance of educated leadership in Aceh that, at the height of the civil conflict, Prof Dayan Dawood, the Rector of Syiah Kuala University, and Prof Safwan Idris, the Rector of IAIN Ar-Raniry, were both assassinated in cold blood, with the Indonesian Army and Gerakan Aceh Merdeka each blaming the other for the killing of those two men who had the courage to speak out for peaceful solutions. Ever since independence, the national government had great difficulties dealing with the ulama, and misunderstandings abounded. The ulama supported the Darul Islam revolt against central authority, and the Indonesian military was assigned the role of crushing that revolt. After the coups of 1965, though they shared a militantly anti-communist ideology, the Suharto Government did not relate easily to the ulama. The natural allies of the central government,

the Dutch-educated aristocrats, had been effectively eliminated in 1946, thus Suhartos Government could not turn to them. So the Suharto Government built up a new and rather thin stratum of Acehnese civilian leadership, dubbed the technocrats, with whom it could communicate, and who broadly shared the development goals of the New Order Government. Of the five men who filled the position of Governor 19681999, three had previously held the positions of Rector of Syiah Kuala University, and headed the provincial planning agency [Bappeda]. These leaders shared broad technocratic goals, sought to extract what benefits they could for Aceh, but were increasingly assigned the role of second fiddle to the local military commanders, as the level of armed conflict intensified. The longterm significance of the educated leadership in building bridges between conflicting parties, and strengthening civil society in the new Aceh cannot be underestimated.

Research for Development and Policy-making in Indonesia

Research performance is central to both the development of internationally competitive higher education institutions, as well as an evidence-based public policy environment. The quality of academic and scientific research produced by Indonesian higher education institutions lags behind international standards.2 Low academic productivity due to low salaries and external commitments, poor representation in international journals, and relatively few numbers of staff with recognised doctoral degrees contribute to Indonesian universities poor international standing. Indonesia is particularly limited in the field of social science and only around half of its universities offer social science programs.3 This limitation has serious consequences for Indonesias capacity to evaluate social policy and produce influential, evidence-based research that can be used as a resource for policy makers.4 Knowledge partnerships that include research capacity building at the individual and institutional levels through training programs contribute to sustainable development in the education and policy sectors.5

The Aceh Educational Context: Building Human Capacity for Development

The limitations facing Indonesian universities and other knowledge centres are more pronounced in regions outside of Java, where the majority of Indonesias higher ranked education institutions are found.6 In Aceh, higher education is still recovering from over 30 years of armed conflict and isolation as well as the destruction wrought by the December 2004 tsunami. The historical context of civil conflict prevented Aceh from fulfilling its economic potential as one of the most resource-rich provinces of Indonesia.

Australian Ambassador H.E. Bill Farmer and Rector of Syiah Kuala University Prof Darni Daud, signing the plaque at the PLPISB building, newly refurbished by AusAID.

The challenges facing higher education and research development in Aceh are many. However, there are both the financial resources and political will to improve the state of Acehnese universities, and to develop local research capacity.7 Second only to Papua, Aceh spends more per capita on education than any other province in Indonesia.8 However, the availability and allocation of such large resources to the education sector is yet to be reflected in outcomes, and higher education enrolments remain low in Aceh.9 Reliance on sending students abroad for quality education has serious consequences for the development of Acehs domestic education system. As one senior writer on higher education stated, sending nationals abroad for their degrees only postpones the expensive task of building local infrastructure.10 The weak institutional context of Acehs universities means national and international involvement is essential in order to develop universities and other knowledge institutions as centres for quality research. Local institutions need to be strengthened and provided opportunities to collaborate internationally, in order that the Acehnese community does not only have to look to the centre and abroad for quality training, particularly in social science research.

ARTIs Response
The 2004 tsunami devastated lives, infrastructure and brought unspeakable tragedy to a community already traumatized and impoverished by decades of civil war. However, in the wake of this natural disaster, both the international community and the Indonesian government seized the opportunity to help rebuild a peaceful and prosperous province. With the signing of the Helsinki peace agreement in August 2005, Aceh entered a critical phase during which civil society could begin to function again. The post-tsunami rapid needs analysis of higher education, conducted by Michael Leigh, found that loss of skilled personnel through conflict and natural disaster left Universities and Islamic Institutes in desperate need of support in order that the new generation of students be adequately educated. Given the processes of societal reconstruction that were underway, the provincial government was also in great need of trained researchers with the skills required for evidence-based policy making. The provincial administration had few staff with such knowledge, and looked first to the University for the required expertise. In conjunction with representatives from eight Australian universities,11 the Myer Foundation and AusAID decided to build upon the history, the international standing and recognised status in Acehnese society of the Social Science Research Training Centre (PLPIIS) established at Syiah Kuala University in 1974, and to focus activities on redeveloping this Centre. Leadership from public and private Acehnese universities12 and the Governors office have a commitment to improving higher education in Aceh, and all strongly supported the founding of this Aceh-wide international research training program. Since its commencement in 2006 ARTI has introduced a range of training programs that aim to expand the quality and accessibility of locally produced social science research, and to assist a new generation of Acehnese researchers gain the skills necessary to undertake high-quality relevant research into what is a significantly changed society. ARTI has built up a reputation in the academic and NGO community as a centre for quality research training and international standard mentoring for local scholars and civil society researchers from around Aceh. The focus has been on establishing an international institute and implementing courses that aim to strengthen the capacity of individual beneficiaries as well as the local research organisation where ARTI is based. There

ARTI team leader Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder with Australian PM, Kevin Rudd in Banda Aceh.

[From left] Adlin Sila, Prof Syafii Mufid and Dr Arskal Salim taught the Level 2 Law and Religion course.

has been a clear transfer of new skills and knowledge to a body of researchers from across Aceh, many of whom return to their home institutions, and share their knowledge with peers and students. ARTI has

facilitated new research networks both nationally and internationally, and created opportunities for publishing and communicating local research in a range of public fora.

2. WorldBank. 2007. Indonesia: Country Summary of Higher Education. 3. McCarthy, John and Rustam Ibrahim. 26 July 2005. Enhancing high quality qualitative field research in Indonesia: A World Bank funded study of how qualitative social science research capacity can be enhanced in Indonesia. Unpublished report. 4. The clearest demonstration of this recognition is the Indonesian Governments Higher Education Long-Term Strategy 20032010 with the primary goal of improving the management and quality of higher education institutions in Indonesia. In a recent concept paper Scott Guggenheim discusses the needs and challenges facing Indonesias higher education and research institutions. Guggenheim, Scott. 2009. Revitalising Indonesias Knowledge Sector. Concept Note. 5. Maselli, Daniel and Jon Andri Lys. 2006. Improving Impacts of Research Partnerships. Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries, KPFE. 6. Welch, A.R. 2007. Blurred Visions? Public and Private Higher Education in Indonesia. Higher Education in Indonesia 54:665687. 7. The local government has demonstrated its commitment to improving Acehnese students education through offering a series of scholarships to study at universities in other areas of Indonesia and abroad. The Governors office indicated that in 2009, the provincial government would be allocating 150 billion Rupiah to higher education scholarships for Acehnese students to study outside of Aceh. 8. WorldBank. 2006. Aceh Public Expenditure Analysis. 9. WorldBank. 2008. Aceh Public Expenditure Analysis Update. 10. Marginson, Simon. 2006. Dynamics of National and Global Competition in Higher Education. Higher Education 52:139. 11. University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of New South Wales, Australian National University, Latrobe University, University Technology Sydney, Victoria University, and University of Sydney. 12. Academic leadership from Syiah Kuala University (Unsyiah), the State Institute of Islamic Studies-Ar Raniry (IAIN Ar-Raniry), Universitas Muhammadiyah (Unmuha), and Universitas Malikussaleh (Unimal, in Lhokseumawe) was instrumental in forming and shaping the ARTI program, and were subsequently joined by Universitas Teuku Umar (Meulaboh).

Devastation following the tsunami in Meulaboh, West Aceh.

Research Training in a Conflict and Natural Disaster Recovery Zone

Conducting social research training in a conflict and natural disaster recovery zone brings particular challenges. The success of the ARTI program resulted from incorporating a thorough knowledge of the local context into the program design, from the outset and throughout the activities progression. Multiple iterations of program design with Acehnese stakeholders captured the perspectives and priorities of local host university leadership, Acehnese partner organizations, and academic experts on Aceh. Key international figures in ARTIs formation and leadership drew on several decades of personal involvement with Acehnese issues. awareness on how theory and existing research should inform new research projects. Many of these issues are found throughout Indonesia, but the conflict-related disruptions in the educational system contributed to poor academic performance in the past generation, and these limitations are not easily overcome. Acehs circumstances as a post-conflict area recovering from a natural disaster meant that the ARTI program was particularly timely and well-received by local academic leadership and participants. There is a widely acknowledged need to improve skills of local professionals after so many lives were lost in the tsunami. The massive process of rebuilding the province post-tsunami called for a wide range of social research skills, which at the time of the tsunami were barely present in the existing university curricula in Aceh. Since social research had been especially scarce during the three decades of conflict, few local researchers were experienced enough to conduct the depth and breadth of research that could inform local policy in a time of great political transition, economic recovery, and social transformation. The ARTI program explicitly aims

Opportunities to Build Local Research Skills

Three decades of conflict took their toll on the Acehnese higher education system. Many common academic problems present nationwide were even more severe in Aceh: very limited access to reference materials; weak writing skills that often did not reflect the quality of research presented orally; poor organization and argument structuring in academic writing; and lack of

10

to equip local researchers and practitioners to conduct studies that inform policy-making in Aceh on a wide variety of subjects. Contextual relevance of proposed ARTI projects was a key criterion for selecting students, and they were required to demonstrate how they involved policy-makers and/or research users in their research design. Local professionals also recognized the need to increase their skills in understanding social problems in a dramatically different context, where issues of widespread trauma, migration, and economic change impacted every area of life. ARTI course participants had also suffered the devastating effects of the conflict and tsunami. The courses provided opportunities to acknowledge that reality, and allowed them to integrate their experiences into their academic work. Students were able to talk about and to critically analyse subjects that had been too sensitive, or even dangerous, to discuss publicly until the peace accord was signed in August 2005. Holding research training courses in this context required practical, detailed emphasis on research ethics concerning working with traumatized informants and politically sensitive subjects. In Level 1 courses, many students evaluated the research ethics component as being the area in which their knowledge increased most throughout the course. ARTIs focus on building capacity of local researchers ensured that the methodological skills and analytical capacities will remain in the province and benefit the region for the generation to come.

Significantly, ARTI course participants are being trained as independent researchers in their own right not to fulfil the all-too-common role as local assistants to an expatriate-directed research project. Such projects often employ local researchers as field assistants in data gathering only not in research design or data analysis. ARTI participants are trained specifically to conduct the stages of research that are often the domain of the non-local components of such outside-directed contract research: problem identification, refining research questions, selecting methods appropriate to answer those questions, and (in the advanced ARTI courses) intensive mentoring on analysis and writing.

Contextual Constraints and Considerations

1. Logistics
Running a program of this type in a recovery zone imposed the challenges of infrastructural inadequacy to be expected in the wake of a major disaster. Sporadic electricity, erratic internet access, and difficulties in securing necessary office and technical materials persisted throughout the ARTI project. While these limitations were overcome to some degree by having an autonomous power source and working through funding agencies to secure necessary supplies, a project embedded within the broader institutional framework of a state university also necessarily experiences some of the same chronic challenges faced by the host institution. In particular,

Prof Darni Daud, Rector of Syiah Kuala University.

Prof Bahrein Sugihen, Director of PLPISB 200408.

11

The newly constructed ARTI annex to the Aceh Socio-cultural Research Training Centre, PLPISB.

internet access on campus was persistently inadequate for the scale of information access that a modern research institute needs. The program linked to an AusAID construction component to rehabilitate the existing PLPISB building and to build an annex to accommodate the ARTI staff offices and courses. While starting the program amidst a building project diverted energy from other activities, ARTI was able to be involved in planning facilities and furniture to optimize flexible use of space and peer learning. Procurement policies allowed ARTI to obtain some environmentally friendly furniture, made from recycled tsunami wood.

data from participants own fieldwork, in a research context where uncritical citation of published statistics was the norm. Participants experience of conflict had contributed to their tendency to rely heavily on informal communication mechanisms, including rumours and placing stronger trust in charismatic speakers than in published material. In response, the ARTI research courses explicitly addressed different attributions of authority and sources of knowledge. Systematic data-gathering and rigorous analyses were held up against treating rumours as fact, and participants learned to differentiate sources of their beliefs on a given topic.

2. Availability and use of publications

Local context also shaped how ARTI participants viewed the research process. Many participants were aware that the published background data (e.g., regional population and production statistics) related to their research were unavailable or of poor quality, because of the data collection constraints due to the conflict and natural disaster. The introductory-level ARTI courses discussed the factors that reduced reliability of existing published data, and participants learned how to strengthen their arguments by analytically addressing, rather than ignoring, variations in published statistics from multiple sources. Building on the fieldwork-centric program of the PLPISB, all ARTI courses emphasised the primacy of using

3. Reconstruction activities and time constraints

In the post-tsunami reconstruction phase, local researchers faced specific constraints in their fieldwork. Acehnese people were busy: villagers were rehabilitating their infrastructure and livelihoods; local officials were managing simultaneous assistance programs; political figures and academics were fully occupied in multiple organizations related to the reconstruction process; and the flood of outside interest and input into Aceh entailed much internal and external travel for Acehnese leaders. Arranging interviews and other research activities took longer than it would in a more stable context. Many Acehnese quickly developed questionnaire fatigue from the repeated efforts of aid

12

agencies to identify population movement and needs. This led many professionals involved in ongoing data gathering to seek ARTI training, which was widely known to feature alternatives to questionnaires among the research tools taught. Conducting research training in a recovery zone provided many opportunities for useful input into the reconstruction process. However, this context also meant that the remaining local leadership of partner institutions was balancing many major issues at the same time, from rebuilding damaged facilities to replacing lost staff and overseeing the research projects related to reconstruction. University administrators, while strongly supportive, were occupied on multiple fronts; this forced a greater autonomy of the ARTI program than there would be in less pressing circumstances. Course participants were also pulled in many directions with their multifaceted involvement in the recovery process. A common profile for an ARTI participant included duties as a university lecturer, consulting at a local relief NGO, occasional advisor to the regional redevelopment board, and as a graduate student in a local or an international program. The multiple demands on participants time impacted course scheduling and their ability to fully concentrate on their own research; many of the best trainees were simply too busy to participate in the time-intensive, upper levels of the ARTI

program. While Level 1 courses were initially planned to meet for ten half days over a two-week period, participants overwhelmingly preferred five days of full-day seminars, since that fitted the more accepted model for absence from the workplace. Since so many ARTI participants were studying and/or lecturing at local universities, all the intensive two-week, full-day Level 2 courses had to be held during the long school breaks so participants would be free to attend without interruption. While the Level 3 program initially required six months of full-time attention to the individual research project, in practice few participants were able to completely forego other professional responsibilities for that period. For many researchers, this reduced the amount of time they spent in the field, and completion of their projects took longer than the anticipated time frame.

4. Family concerns, mobility, and cross-regional linkages

The ARTI program quickly responded to requests from potential participants by holding Level 1 courses outside of Banda Aceh. One participant in an early course travelled twelve hours one way from Meulaboh in southwest Aceh to attend, and described her struggle to balance her strong interest to attend the ARTI training with her reluctance to leave her family for a week in emergency housing conditions. A cluster of universities and Islamic institutes in Acehs northeast

Course conducted in Lhokseumawe with Dr David Reeve [front] and Prof Harold Crouch [rear left].

13

A pesantren study group.

Logistics officer and driver Pak Sudirman.

region, more than five hours drive from Banda Aceh, independently compiled applications from more than 140 prospective participants and submitted them to ARTI with a request to hold courses in the northeast region, which had been severely affected by the Aceh conflict. ARTI repeatedly received formal requests from research institutes throughout Aceh to provide on-site training as well. Subsequently, nine of the twenty-two (41%) Level 1 ARTI courses and researcher clusters were hosted by academic partners in the regions of Aceh: Acehs tsunami-devastated southwest (Meulaboh, 2 courses); the ethno-linguistically distinct central highlands (Takengon, 2 courses); the conflict-devastated northeast (Bireuen, 2 courses; and Lhokseumawe, 3 courses). Holding courses close to participants home institutions enabled people to attend with minimal disruption to their family life. This was especially important to permit full participation of women who could not leave their families for extended periods. Most parents wanted to remain close to their children to address the trauma of separation and loss that many felt after the tsunami. This responsive regionalisation of the ARTI courses greatly enriched the program by drawing together more diverse participants for the upper level courses to learn with each other, while expanding the scope of training offered in the more

remote regions of the province. Drawing students from outside Banda Aceh into the upper levels of the ARTI program fostered new, cross-regional professional linkages among researchers.

5. Social norms
Acehs conservative Islamic social context also influenced many aspects of the ARTI program. Training days were scheduled and located to allow for appropriate breaks for prayer, and courses were scheduled around the Islamic calendar. Because of the distinctive gender roles in Acehnese society, from the outset ARTI was deliberate about providing both female and male role models as trainers and research advisors, and seeking gender balance among participants in each course.13 Using varied inductive and interactive teaching styles, small group work, and limited-time presentations by each course participant counteracted a local tendency toward male verbal dominance in the classroom. ARTI brought many outside researchers and trainers to Aceh, and served as a meeting point between local and extralocal professionals. The program involved many lecturers and mentors with extensive expertise in Islamic societies, and ARTI helped visitors without this background to understand, to appreciate, and to operate professionally within the requirements of the local social context.

13. In Level 1 courses, 51% of the course participants were female. Gender balance in subsequent courses is discussed below. Numbers of female and male visiting lecturers and mentors were nearly equal throughout the program.

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Many Ways of Knowing: Social Research Training Courses and Building Research Culture
The goal of the ARTI courses is to equip local professionals in the entire process of social research on the Acehnese context. The steps include: identifying and defining contextually relevant research problems structuring research design selecting data collection methods and refining tools conducting field work analysing data writing publishable results of the research, and communicating the outcome to research users and policymakers. ARTI offered a three-tiered, progressively selective training program conducted by international and Indonesian academics with proven expertise in the relevant field. Virtually all research training activities were conducted in the Indonesian language. The overall program had a tailored, flexible design, and did not follow a rigid blueprint; for example, course schedules and regional locations were adjusted to best meet the programs goals, and to take advantage of new opportunities. Outside lecturers infused the program with innovative pedagogical methods and current theory in multiple fields. Each level became increasingly specialised, with more individual mentoring on a specific research proposal and project. Participant eagerness and commitment to attend courses was so great that ARTI exceeded original expectations of participant numbers at each level of training.

Participants Backgrounds
Over the three-year period, ARTI trained 420 participants at the introductory level. The ARTI seminar participants largely consisted of young and intermediate-level professionals from the academic sphere, NGOs, and the civil service, who came with widely varying background knowledge about the

Local professionals from different disciplines and sectors learn from each others backgrounds in the ARTI program.

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Working together in pairs.

nature and practice of research. ARTI facilitated communication among these sectors as they were all involved in either conducting or using social research and, therefore, had a stake in improving the quality of research in Aceh. ARTI thus provided opportunities for contact across professions, linking NGO activists and civil servants into academic networks. Selection requirements for ARTI courses included a completed undergraduate degree (or ten years of relevant work experience using research), active affiliation with a local organization or government department, potential to use research skills in their work, and long-term residency in Aceh. Nearly all held at least an undergraduate degree; nearly half had or were pursuing a Masters; and a few
level subjeCt Course leNgth

(5 women and 14 men) were completing a doctorate a rare degree even among university lecturers in Aceh. Through achieving a gender balance both in trainees and lecturers and actively mentoring women in their academic growth, ARTI supported female participants who were continuing with their studies. Several female researchers specifically sought involvement in the ARTI program to gain research skills of use in their doctoral study. Although ARTI focused on training in social research, the program drew course participants from a diverse range of disciplines. Many found themselves conducting social research for the first time by necessity in the post-tsunami reconstruction context, although
No. of partiCipaNts % of female partiCipaNts

1 2 3

Introduction to Social Research Methods Discipline-specific Research Methods Field Research, Academic Mentoring, and Publishing

510 days (3035 hours) 2 weeks (full days) 6 months

420

51%

118

45%

37

46%

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their professional training had not given them the skills they needed to confidently conduct their new tasks. For example, one veterinarian participant was assisting with a village livestock recovery program that involved extensive interviewing and detailed recording of participant responses not skills taught in vet school. Business professionals newly engaged in village-level microenterprise programs needed to learn how to assess economic levels among tsunami survivors in their regions. Nearly all of those who had taken a research methods course, whether in physical or social sciences, brought to the course a rudimentary understanding of quantitative research methods, but they had virtually no exposure to systematic analysis using qualitative methods. Each course attracted a heterogeneous participant mix in academic background, age, and experience. Interdisciplinary courses built new professional linkages among various sectors in Acehnese society, and fostered new understanding that different disciplines bring multiple approaches to studying social problems.

The interactive way of teaching at ARTI is very unique, and I had not experienced this style before....in the past when I taught my students I always just stood before them and lectured. Now, after my experience with ARTI, I ask my students questions and make them interact during class... Anonymous (Level 2) I am writing a book of current research methods guidelines for my students, based on the new and latest information I learned through ARTI training and course materials. I also applied qualitative research methods for the first time when I wrote an action research proposal for a national grant competition for Islamic Institutes. I am also using new classroom techniques which I experienced in the ARTI training, to make my students more active in the classroom.
Male lecturer in Education, Central Aceh (Level 1)

Pedagogical Approach and Course Design

Highly interactive, elicitive pedagogical style characterized the ARTI courses, because it is effective for adult learners, especially in a course involving people from a variety of professional backgrounds. Instructors made classroom time more interactive than lecture-based, and used ample field work,
Dr Suraya Affif, University of Indonesia.

My university lecturers still use the same boring methods. But I am a member of a university youth group and I am using the techniques I learned in my ARTI course with the other members and they love it. They tell me how much more interesting the training sessions are now. I give them materials to read ahead of time so they can prepare, I ask lots of questions and let them talk more than I talk, I break people up into groups for discussion and tasks. I wish my lecturers would learn some of these methods.
Female masters degree candidate, Unsyiah (Level 1)

assignments, group work, and presentations to provide opportunities to immediately practice and apply new learning, such as data-gathering skills applicable in a variety of disciplines. This distinctive attribute of the program featured prominently in participants long-term evaluation of how the program had changed their own professional activities. Participants frequently noted how ARTI courses differed from the strictly didactic classroom technique common in Indonesian classrooms. ARTI instructors modelled the open-ended, inductive questioning in their teaching that students could use in their fieldwork. Foreign instructors often worked with new local lecturers in co-teaching teams and helped them to apply these methods in their teaching. Elicitive training emphasises drawing out and drawing upon the learners prior experience, closely linking the material to their interests, and using examples from familiar contexts. The specific research interests of the participants in each course largely provided the content of the courses. While

17

there was a central core of topics to be covered at each level, each course was individually tailored around the examples, questions, and experiences of the participants. The Level 1 courses had some elective modules, and the class would decide which topics to include in their course as time allowed. Presentations by course participants were the hallmark of the ARTI program, building on the long history of this method within the PLPIIS/PLPISB. In each course and at every level, all participants presented a fieldwork-based research idea in various stages of development, to provide real-world examples used throughout the course of how a researcher successively refines the research questions, selects methods, and designs the research process. Other course participants discussed and gave input on the research plans, and through this process gained skill and confidence in giving, receiving, and filtering advice on research. Peer learning and regular use of small discussion groups in the classroom proved very effective, reinforcing that all course participants have valuable

knowledge of use to the group and encouraging multiple interpretations of an event. Early in the program, it was apparent that most students had difficulty completing or comprehending the assigned readings on their own, so instructors combined an elicitive approach with small group work of 23 participants to draw out key points in the readings. For example, in a module on what constitutes scientific knowledge and differentiates this knowledge from other types of knowledge, participant small groups first listed several of their own criteria for scientific knowledge; then the instructor distributed a short (24 pages) reading on this topic for participants to read in class and to discuss in their small groups; and then each group reported any surprises, disagreements, or remarkable differences between their own views and that of the author. These activities built an acceptance of experiential perspectives into the course the right answer was not limited to that written in the textbook along with skillbuilding in critical, analytical thinking. Through small group work, course participants also came to know each other well as an academic community, and to appreciate

Participants in discussion during course session.

18

Working outside the ARTI building.

the varied perspectives in an interdisciplinary course. Throughout the Level 1 courses and during some units of the upper level courses, participants also had short assignments to practice a certain research skill, and then to report their experiences to the class. These assignments often preceded the module on that subject, so that key points regarding the topic at hand could be discussed with reference to a common story brought by one of the courses own participants. A homework assignment to observe and to take detailed notes of some scene of the participants own choosing for fifteen minutes might precede the modules on

observation and writing organized field notes; then participants could swap their notes with others for feedback, or discuss insights or emergent questions from their experience. Students would conduct short interviews; draft and pilot short questionnaires; list ethical considerations regarding a planned research topic; and develop multiple sampling strategies for their proposed topics. These homework assignments provided daily examples that were different with each course, but allowed for relevant common reference points to be used during each module.

Using Elicitive Methods with Local Examples

ARTI used local, case-based examples and inductive, elicitive methods to help students relate their learning to their own experiences. Lecturers modeled this approach through the training. For example, in opening the Level 1 course, a foreign instructor might begin with this story: I have heard that in Aceh, visitors to a home where there is a newborn baby should wait outside for some time before entering the house. Can you tell me more about this? In response, participants would explain why this is done (to protect the infant from harmful spirits that might accompany a travelling person), what happens if visitors do not observe the practice (the infant will cry and/or fall ill), who needs to follow this and how long they need to wait outside, and differences in the risks associated with certain times of day (especially high at the Islamic prayer time around sunset). Sometimes students engaged in lively debate over whether this was an approved Islamic practice or not; other times, students from a distinct ethnic group in Acehs central highlands noted that they had never heard of this apparently nearly universal practice among urban and rural people in lowland Aceh. Then the instructor would guide course participants to list a wide variety of potential research questions that could emerge from this single practice, in disciplines including history, religion, geography or ethnic studies, medicine, and socio-cultural anthropology. What specific types of data would the students need to address each of those research questions? Then the instructor could ask the students how they would go about collecting data on this waiting-outside-beforeentering practice, to elicit the full range of quantitative and qualitative field research tools: experimentation, observation, interviews, questionnaires, etc. This elicitive technique engaged students more fully than a prepared lecture on various means of data collection, and broadened their understanding of how different disciplines might approach research on a particular topic. Using local examples encouraged them to develop contextually grounded research questions, countering the tendency toward abstracted formulation of social research problems.

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Course participants in a fieldwork methods training conducted in collaboration with the AusAID ACARP research project, led by Dr Suraya Affif [seated 3rd from left] and Dr Craig Thorburn [standing in centre].

Level One: An Introduction to Research Methods

These interdisciplinary, one-two week intensive courses introduce large numbers of local professionals to the basic concepts of social science research. They focussed on formulating and refining relevant, researchable questions, and giving an overview of research design. While the specific topics covered in a given course were tailored to the interests and backgrounds of the course participants, the following core modules occupied half to two thirds of the training time (usually all day on the opening day, and mornings thereafter): Principles of scientific research and epistemology, especially social science inquiry Using theory, literature, and fieldwork to identify research questions Defining and focusing a research question Quantitative/qualitative approaches and mixed methods Literature review structure and content Selecting data-gathering and recording/note-taking techniques Observation Interviewing and focus group discussion Survey/questionnaire writing and evaluation Participatory rural appraisal tools Use of statistics and handling conflicting statistics Quantitative and qualitative approaches to sampling Data management and processing (coding, software) Self-introduction and researcher stance-identity Social field research ethics (for human subjects and in general) These topics were then revisited and applied in a practical way as each participant presented his or her own draft research outline, usually filling the afternoons of the four final days of the course. Each had 68 minutes of oral presentation with an accompanying written page or two, followed by a highly interactive process of workshopping the research idea starting from the material presented. The individual presentations on proposed research allowed participants to apply the core module topics to a wide variety of research subjects of current social

20

relevance in Aceh. Participants had to consider whether a qualitative or quantitative approach, or what type of combination, would best answer a particular research question. Regarding research ethics, they gave input on what special considerations the researcher would need to take if conducting a given study in a conflict-affected region or in working with tsunami survivors. Level 1 courses used material from over twenty Indonesian books on social research to develop course handouts, with several recent Indonesian-language references serving as key texts.14 Feedback from Level 1 courses indicated that participants greatly appreciated the opportunity to spend so much time on the fundamental activities of identifying research problems and refining specific research questions. These are critical skills for independent researchers: many participants who had previously done field data collection for externally-directed research were skilled in interviewing or administering questionnaires, but they had little experience in deciding the research topics.

Now I understand ways to combine qualitative and statistical methodologies in a research program. I learned a lot about better techniques for in-depth interviews and qualitative analysis. In my NGO work, I have helped the team understand which methods are best suited in a proposed research design. Now I also use new ways to increase student participation when I teach in the classroom. Female lecturer in Education and staff member of womens NGO, Banda Aceh (Level 1) I have already used new methods that I learned in the ARTI course, when I submitted a research funding proposal to my university this year. Female lecturer in Economic Development, Banda Aceh (Level 1) I am very satisfied with the training, especially with the new things I learned about ways to improve responses from research informants. Female lecturer in Gender studies, central Aceh (Level 1)

A participant thanks Dr Suraya Affif [right] at the end of a course.

21

Prof Harold Crouch, ARTI Team Leader, leading discussion.

Even participants who were mid-level university lecturers said they needed more practice in this area, and so the participants own presentations remained one of the most valued sections throughout the Level 1 training courses. A subsequent essential skill that participants sought to improve was matching appropriate data collection methods to specific research questions. Because of the generalized lack of training in qualitative research methods (in Indonesia in general, but especially for Aceh) and the prestige associated with quantitative research, many researchers assumed that questionnaires were the preferred method for studying nearly every social problem. The Level 1 courses discussed the merits and shortcomings of a range of data collection practices; participants debated the merits of using early interviews to refine questionnaires, or using early questionnaires to identify important topics for subsequent in-depth

interviews. Through the discussions of each others proposals and in-class fishbowl practice sessions, course participants gained significant skill and confidence in selecting the best methods, including sequencing mixed methods where appropriate. A total of thirty-six ARTI staff, visiting foreign lecturers, established Acehnese and other Indonesian researchers, NGO staff with expertise in a particular area, and visiting international Ph.D. candidates coordinated the Level 1 courses, which were always team taught. Two weeks following the end of the course, participants submitted a research proposal for consideration to advance to the next level of training, so students written work from Level 1, together with their performance during class, served to help select candidates for Level 2 courses.

14. The following books have been especially useful: Irawan, Prasetya. 2006. Penelitian Kualitatif & Kuantitatif Untuk Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial. Jakarta: Universitas Indonesia; Moleong, Lexy J. 2006. Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif (Edisi Revisi). Bandung: PT Remaja Rosdakarya; Sugiyono. 2005. Memahami Penelitian Kualitatif. Bandung: Alfabeta; and Sulistyo-Basuki. 2006. Metode Penelitian. Jakarta: Wedatama Widya Sastra/Universitas Indonesia.

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Level Two: Discipline-specific Research Methods

A quarter of Level 1 participants advanced to Level 2 based on the quality of their proposals and demonstrated commitment to research. Level 2 courses ran full-time for two weeks, and fostered an in-depth understanding of research methods and proposal writing in a particular field of study. ARTI held six Level 2 courses: Gender in Society Law and Religion Livelihoods and Poverty Environment, Development, and Institutions Public Health, and Politics, Peace, and Conflict. These thematic areas were identified as important in the Aceh context by a broad consultation of Acehnese stakeholders, and also reflected the central topics of participants areas of interest. International and Indonesian scholars with disciplinary expertise worked together to coordinate each course, with guest contributions from a range of other international and local researchers; a total of thirty-four lecturers were involved in these courses. Level 2 courses introduced participants to important literature in that discipline, relevant current theories and methodological approaches, and empirical case studies. Specific skills built through small group mentoring in Level 2 included: Writing a literature review, with a focus on how to develop a research bibliography, and how to use existing literature in crafting a proposal; Refining research questions in the context of current trends in particular discipline, making sure that the researchers are aware of recent theoretical developments in their disciplines and that their research questions are of contemporary interest; and Making a research plan and preparing a research proposal, including the pragmatic aspects of budgeting and timeframes. After a second round of oral and written draft proposal presentations with group feedback as in Level 1, the Level 2 instructors met with each participant individually. They discussed how recent literature could further inform the research question, and gave early feedback on a full, written draft research proposal.

Syariat Islam is practiced in Aceh.

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18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
geNDer laW/religioN livelihooDs eNviroNmeNt health politiCs/peaCe/ CoNfliCt

male female

4 16

16 6

10 11

10 11

11 6

16 4

Gender balance in Level 2 Courses

This personalised mentoring was critical in improving the proposals, as most students initially used only grand theories with tenuous links to their research topics, and referred to literature that was decades out of date. Most ARTI course participants had rudimentary knowledge of the literature and proposal-writing skills. At Level 2, the generalised lack of writing skills became more apparent; students who articulately presented their research question and methods orally still had great difficulty with written tasks. Virtually none of the incoming researchers understood the utility of the literature review in refining their research questions and methodologies, so the Level 2 courses included inclass demonstrations of how to summarize, compare, and evaluate existing sources in the literature review. Research proposals gave evidence of many instances of inadequate citation. The individual mentoring also enabled students to prepare a specific methodological Aceh lags behind the rest of Indonesia. What we think is a new issue is actually an old issue in the rest of Indonesia. Male lecturer at Al-Muslim University, Lhokseumawe (Level 2) The guest lecturers and lead lecturers gave very useful materials to help us understand the processes involved in conducting research Anonymous (Level 2) I have been taught how to write research proposals in the past, but it wasnt until this ARTI training that I actually understood what is required and how to put it all together... Anonymous (Level 2)

section, and to develop a detailed, realistic research plan and schedule. Most participants felt constrained to fit their proposals to a rigid proposal structure which is commonly used in Indonesian research, and adherence to this formality limited their willingness to explore novel research methods. They often emphasised that in their previous experience, written research products had to conform exactly to a certain format and language to be acceptable within academic settings. To counteract this paralysing rigidity, some Level 2 instructors asked the researchers to write essays that would clearly highlight the central research themes and their contextual significance, without the confines of the formal structure. While each multidisciplinary Level 1 course had nearly equal numbers of female and male participants, gender balance within the disciplinary training courses was more difficult to maintain. In Aceh, particular fields of study such as law, Islamic studies, and politics are traditionally dominated by men, as are the related university faculties and research centres; hence the vast majority of candidates for these courses were male. In contrast, most applicants to the Gender in Society course were women, and there were more women than men who qualified for the courses on livelihoods and the environment. At the end of the two-week course, participants had four weeks to consult with each other and over email with course lecturers to produce a revised proposal. Submissions that met the lecturers standards were sent out to a peer review/selection committee for admission to Level 3.

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Prof Kathy Robinson with ARTI program officer Ibu Meilizar [centre] and participants in the Level 2 Health course.

Level Three: Field Research, Academic Mentoring, and Publishing

From the Level 2 research proposals submitted, thirty-eight Level Three participants received an ARTI research fellowship to develop, implement and write up their research over a period of six months. The selection was made through a process of anonymous academic peer review both within Indonesia and with international academics. This segment of the ARTI courses most resembled the original PLPIIS field research mentoring program. It was critical to overall program success that ARTI was located in a recognised location where committed researchers knew that physical and human resources were always present to support their research and writing, along with the professional camaraderie built through interacting with fellow researchers and advisors in formal and informal contexts. This final stage aimed to consolidate the analytical and methodological skills introduced in previous courses through applied field research with the supervision of three academic mentors one from Aceh, one from an institution elsewhere in Indonesia, and one international scholar. The multiple mentors provided different inputs to each researchers project: foreign mentors lent an international perspective on the relation of the project to global literature and professional writing expectations for publication; national mentors grounded the topic in an Indonesian context and provided linkages to major research universities and institutes elsewhere in the country; and local mentors were the most readily available to consult on day-to-day questions, fieldwork problems and existing literature from local studies. Several researchers forged radically new approaches to their research questions and tried novel methodologies after meeting with external mentors, affirming the value of outside perspectives. While some researchers found it difficult to reconcile different, even conflicting advice from their three mentors, this provided an opportunity for them to develop their stance as independent researchers and to practice their response when meeting multiple, new theoretical positions.

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Mentors
Individual mentoring gave fellows a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the field, gain practical knowledge, and access resources and professional research networks. More than ninety scholars (see p.54) participated as research mentors for Level 3 researchers. Throughout the research period, participants received ongoing guidance and feedback from mentors through email consultations and faceto-face meetings; the best results were from researchers who received close, constant mentoring from their supervisors. Across the board, researchers and mentors agreed that even more intensive mentoring would produce better results in fieldwork and in writing. ARTI also offered fellows the opportunity to visit their national mentor at the mentors home institution outside of Aceh for a short period, to consult, to present at an appropriate national or international conference, to use libraries and institutional research collections, and build linkages with other researchers. The high value of peer learning and regular research discussion groups continued to be proven during the Level 3 course. Mentor Dr Michael Feener initiated a research cluster among his Lhokseumawebased advisees from the Law and Religion course, and they met monthly over the six-month period to discuss progress and fieldwork limitations, share references of common interest, and critique each others writing. While not all Level 3 researchers had the benefit of such an active research cluster, a major recommendation from the ARTI experience is that

this aspect of the original PLPIIS program should be preserved and further developed. As the early Level 3 trainees completed their fieldwork and writing, these senior researchers met with incoming Level 3 groups to discuss their own field and writing experiences, and later courses used earlier trainees own field notes and draft publications to demystify the research process and to provide practical advice on upcoming research plans. Most researchers benefited greatly from monthly meetings and ongoing, small-group training sessions with ARTI staff and visiting mentors; this repeatedly came through in researcher evaluations of what they gained through the ARTI program. These focused themes included the following: preparing for the field; writing field notes; writing a good abstract; organising and analysing field data; interview techniques and ethical standards; academic writing, plagiarism, and paraphrasing; and giving research presentations. Progress on the research was monitored monthly, with researchers providing detailed work plans, field notes, and drafts of article sections to be improved through Writing Workshops, as well as presenting preliminary findings to ARTI peers, local mentors, and the Team Leader. Payment of researchers funding instalments was contingent on satisfactory submission of these benchmarks.

A participant working with Dr Anton Lucas, Flinders University.

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Lively group discussion around sharing a common finding.

Mentors Feedback on the ARTI Research Fellows Program

Responses to course evaluations by local, national, and international mentors demonstrated some interesting commonalities. Overall the mentors feedback reflected positively on the ARTI experience, and emphasized that the program is both unique and fills an important gap in the development of Acehs education system. However, there were also some important comments on trainees capacities, areas of need, and how ARTI can develop future programs. Email consultations were too limiting, and meeting their student in person only once during the 6-month period was not enough to bring about substantial research mentoring in all stages of the research project. Most mentors would have liked to have a more formalized system of communicating and consulting with fellows other two mentors. Mentors overwhelmingly identified writing skills as being the most significant area of need for research fellows, and suggested that academic writing become a more central part of the ARTI course syllabus. While some responses indicated that three mentors was too many and potentially confused the trainees, others felt it was normal for students to have more than one supervisor, and that negotiating feedback and differences of opinion was part of academic training. Many mentors werent satisfied with the amount of time trainees spent on their project, particularly the fieldwork component, or felt their students did not initiate enough contact via email or telephone. This reflects trainees own evaluations of their progress, where time constraints and external professional commitments were cited as challenges to their ARTI project. When asked where mentors felt they made the most significant contribution to their trainees project, responses varied greatly. Some believed they had assisted mainly in producing a strong research proposal with a practical and systematic research plan, others felt their student required most help creating questionnaires and interviews for the field, and many identified the writing-up stage as the step that required intense supervision.

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Peer discussion group.

Ibu Nurlaila presenting at the Womens Seminar.

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The ultimate goal of the Level 3 training was for participants to communicate their research in public forums, and submit their research in the form of an article to an appropriate academic journal. The participants pervasive lack of professional writing skills and ability to structure a publishable research paper required supervisors to contribute significant mentoring on professional writing, as reports had to undergo thorough editing before being ready for publication. Many researchers found it extremely difficult to overcome the rigid research report format common in the Indonesian academy, in order to prepare a manuscript suitable for journal submission, needing guidance in correct use of references and avoiding plagiarism. Most needed intensive, iterative mentoring on writing introductions, structuring and developing an argument, maintaining paragraph focus, and using proper grammar and punctuation. In response, the ARTI program initiated a series of Writing and Presentation Workshops (see below) for the Level 3 researchers, since many individual mentors were not able to commit the time resources needed for this level of writing attention. Level 3 researchers were required to commit significant time resources to their projects, which in most cases meant they must reduce or forego other professional commitments for the length of the course. Importantly, ARTI insisted that the researchers conduct the work themselves, rather than following the common practice of sending ones undergraduate students to the field to collect data. These commitments were detailed in a research contract which Level 3
WritiNg iNstruCtors aND Workshop foCus Michele Ford Suraya Affif Anton Lucas Julian Millie Greg Fealy Harold Crouch Arskal Salim Adlin Sila Jesse Grayman Rachael Schiller Richard Chauvel Silvia Vignato Writing and presentations Writing Reading and writing discussion group Writing Writing and publishing Conference presentation skills

Participants researching politics, peace and conflict.

Individual writing mentoring Writing and conference presentation skills

participants signed before beginning the course. Nevertheless, many researchers still had too many family and work commitments to spend substantial blocks of time in their field sites, and their research was not progressing as planned. Many researchers work lacked depth because their physical presence in their fieldwork sites was too short or sporadic to develop the relationships and insights that only follow extended field time; future programs should consider mechanisms to increase and to monitor researchers actual productive time spent in field sites. The ARTI program had just two administrative staff, which proved insufficient to adequately monitor the researchers fieldwork, but researchers had to demonstrate progress and show field notes in order to receive subsequent research grant payments. ARTI invested the most time, mentoring attention, and financial resources in the Level 3 program, and this produced significant outcomes for the most capable and committed researcher fellows. They developed into a cohesive group of scholars who can provide ongoing professional support and networking to each other. The Level 3 researchers from both the Gender in Society and Law and Religion courses have produced books presenting their compiled research, edited by ARTI course participants themselves and their research supervisors. Other achievements of this group are detailed in the following section. The Level 3 researchers and their topics are listed in the table on the following two pages.

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ARTI Level 3 Fellows and their Research Topics

Name employer title

Abidin Nurdin Cut Ajaa Fauziah Cut Dewi

Syariah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Flower Aceh Meulaboh Architecture Faculty, Unsyiah

Ulama dan Proses Legislasi: Mengkaji Legitimasi Lembaga Ulama Aceh Perempuan dan Mitos Kehamilan: Studi Kasus di Kecamatan Meureubo Aceh Barat Gudang atau Barang Antik?: Sebuah Studi tentang Interpretasi Masyarakat Berkaitan dengan Pelestarian Heritage Perempuan dan Politik: Ketika Keterwakilan Perempuan tidak Diwakili Lembaga Ulama Dalam Konstitusi Negara Modern (Kajian Perbandingan Konstitusi Peran dan Kedudukan Lembaga Ulama di Aceh, Iran dan Arab Saudi) Permasalahan Ibu Menyusui Eksklusif (Studi Kasus Meunasah Mesjid Kota Lhokseumawe) Tanggapan Perempuan Desa Kumbang Terhadap Pembagian Peran Gender dalam Komunitas Petani Padi Sawah Aspek gender pada pola pengembangan rumah bantuan masyarakat pesisir di Aceh Besar pasca tsunami: kasus kawasan pemukiman Krueng Raya Persepsi Masyarakat Penghuni Rumah Bantuan tentang Jamban di Dalam Rumah Partisipasi dan Kontribusi Perempuan dalam Ekonomi Keluarga Pasca Tsunami di Aceh Besar Hukuman Cambuk di Kota Lhokseumawe dan Kabupaten Aceh Utara) Peran Zakat Produktif terhadap Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat Perempuan dalam Jabatan Publik: Studi Kasus IAIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh Wacana Kemiskinan Masyarakat Gampong Meunasah Manyang Kebangkitan Praktek Islam Mistik: Suluk di Pesisir Utara Aceh Konflik Pemekaran Propinsi di Aceh Pasca MOU Helsinki (Studi Analisi terhadap Usaha Pembentukan Propinsi ALA) Penegakan Syariat: Etnografi Aksi Razia Santri Dayah in Aceh Utara Politik Kaum Bersarung: Relasi Thaliban dan Huda dalam proses perdamaian di Aceh

Cut Sukmawati Elidar Sari

Social & Political Science, Unimal Law Faculty, Unimal

Ella Suzanna Elly Susanti

Psychology, Social & Political Science, Unimal Agriculture Faculty, Unsyiah

Elysa Wulandari

Engineering & Architecture Faculty, Unsyiah Public Health Faculty, Unmuha

Faridah Hanum

Fitriana Hamdani

Flower Aceh; Education Faculty, Unsyiah Law Faculty, Unimal

Happy Saputra Inayatillah Irfan Zikri Iskandar Ibrahim Kamaruddin

Syariah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Adab Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Socioeconomics, Agriculture Faculty, Unsyiah STAIN Malikussaleh, IAIN Ar-Raniry Dakwah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry

Mahdi Abd Syihab Mahmuddin

continues on next page

STAIN Malikussaleh Dakwah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry

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title

Ulama and the Legislative Process: Examining the Legitimacy of Religious Leaders in Aceh. Women and the Myths about Pregnancy: A Case Study of Meureubo in West Aceh. Heritage: Conservation and Interpretation Case Study in Chinatown, Peunayong, Banda Aceh. Women and Politics: The Absence of Womens Representation. The Role of the Ulama Committee within Modern Sovereign Constitutions (a comparative case study of the Ulama Committees rank and position within Acehnese, Iranian and Saudi Arabian Constitutions). Women and the Dilemma of Exclusive Breast-Feeding: A Case Study of Meunasah Mesjid in Lhokseumawe. The View of Village Women of Kumbang Towards the Division of Labour Roles in Rice Farming Communities. The Gender Aspects in the Development of Emergency Housing for Coastal Communities in Aceh Besar Post- Tsunami: A Case Study of Residents in Krueng Raya. Community Perceptions of Household Sanitation in Tsunami Reconstruction Housing. Womens Participation and Contribution to Family Finances Post-Tsunami in Aceh Besar. Caning Laws in the Verandah of Mecca: A Case Study of the Effectiveness of Caning as a Punishment in Lhokseumawe and North Aceh. Zakats Influence on Community Economic Development Women as Civil Servants: A Case Study of IAIN Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh. The Concept of Poverty in the Village Community of Gampong Meunasah Manyang. Arising Mystical Islamic Practices: Suluk in North Aceh Coastal Area Conflict over Provincial Division in Central Aceh after the Helsinki Peace Agreement Promoting Sharia: An Ethnography of Raids of Islamic Boarding School Santris in North Aceh. The Relationship of Taliban and Huda in Acehs Peace Process.

Of all ARTI training courses, the Level 3 mentoring program has drawn the strongest praise from ARTI affiliates. Giving participants the opportunity to practically apply their methodological training in the field, while receiving quality supervision and feedback, is ideal and is not common to research training in Indonesia where the focus is predominantly on theory or document analysis. There is no other program like this offered in Aceh.... researchers do not have the opportunity to get practical training in field research... Male lecturer at IAIN Ar-Raniry and member of research staff at a local research institute In other research training programs in Aceh we are also given supervision, but comments and feedback are usually superficial...... we dont get the personal, individualised supervision that ARTI offers... Female Lecturer at Unsyiah and member of a high-profile local womens NGO I have attended various research training programs in Aceh over the past few years, but none provided practical training... the focus is always on theories and text books. ARTI is very different.... Male lecturer at IAIN Ar-Raniry and director of an IAIN research centre Since being involved in the ARTI program, I have met and consulted with leading national and international experts from my field. I never thought I would have such an opportunity. Female lecturer at IAIN Ar-Raniry When I was first accepted to ARTI I was so excited. ARTI is an organization with Australian lecturers and staff, and I hoped to learn new research methodologies and see the difference between local and international approaches to social science research ... I felt like ARTI set up the Level 3 course clearly, gave us all the technical resources we neededI was just never sure what would happen after ARTI closed, and how I would promote my research results, or what to do with them ... The skills which I developed most during the ARTI course have been my ability to investigate and look at social phenomena in a different way. This development is due to the mentoring staff at ARTI, firstly Harold Crouch and of course all my mentors. Lecturer at Universitas Syiah Kuala

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ARTI Level 3 Fellows and their research topics continued

Name employer title

Marzi Afriko Monalisa Muhammad Alkaf M. Ridha Muslim Zainuddin

World Bank; IAIN Ar-Raniry Agriculture Faculty, Unsyiah Aceh Institute Syariah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Syariah Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry

Syariat Islam dan Radikalisme Massa: Melacak Sejak Awal Kehadiran FPI di Aceh Dinamika Partai Lokal di Aceh Dalam Kaitannya dengan Perdamaian Aceh Pasang Surut Gerakan Sosial (Studi Kasus Referendum Aceh 19981999) Efektiftas Pengelolaan Kredit Peumakmu Nanggroe dalam Pemberdayaan Usaha Mikro di Lhokseumawe Pertimbangan hakim dalam memutuskan perkara khalwat pada mahkamah syariah Aceh Memotret Kesadaran Gender Penegak Hukum di Aceh Utara Kehidupan Sosial Dan Ekonomi Masyarakat Nelayan di Desa Sarey, Kecamatan Lhoong Kabupaten Aceh Besar Pengultusan Tokoh Agama: Teungku Tarmizi dan Pengajiannya di Indrapuri Aceh Besar Modal Ventura Sebagai Alternatif Pembiayaan Usaha Kecil dan Menengah Non Muslim dan Qanun di NAD: Pengalaman Warga Tionghoa Dalam Penerapan Syariat Islam Peusijuek: Sebuah Tradisi Ritual Sosial Masyarakat Aceh Dalam Perspektif Traditionalis dan Modernis Kesehatan Reproduksi dalam Perspektif Santriwati Pesantren Modern dan Tradisional di Aceh Model Penyelesaian Sengketa dalam Masalah Kewarisan di Aceh Kenduri Kematian di Kluet Aceh Selatan: Bermaknaan yang Beraneka Ragam Tetap Sehat Bersama Diabetes Mellitus: Peran Keluarga dalam Pengelolaan DM Pengalaman Anak Terhadap Tindak Kekerasaan di Wilayah Konflik (Studi Kasus pada Sebuah Panti Asuhan di Kabupaten Aceh Utara) Kawan Jadi Lawan: Relasi GAM - SIRA dalam Perpolitikan di Aceh Antara Motivasi dan Tantangan Berhenti Merokok (Studi Kasus Mahasiswa di Banda Aceh) Analisis Ekonomi Rumah Tangga Petani dalam Usahatani Konservasi (Kasus di Kecamatan Timang Gajah, Kabupaten Bener Meriah)

Nanda Amalia Nur Aidar Nurchalis Sofyan Safrina Safuwan Saifuddin Dhuhri Sarah Firdausa Sayuthi Sehat Ihsan Shadiqin Setio Budi Raharjo Siti Rahmah

Law Faculty, Unimal Economics Faculty, Unsyiah Adab Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Law Faculty, Unsyiah Social & Political Science, Unimal STAIN Malikussaleh Medical Faculty, Unsyiah; Pesantren doctor Modern Fiqih, IAIN Ar-Raniry Ushuluddin Faculty, IAIN Ar-Raniry Nursing Faculty, POLTEKKES, Banda Aceh World Bank

Suadi Rizanna Rosenary Yusra

Social & Political Science, Unimal Communication, Social & Political Science, Unsyiah Agriculture Department

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title

Islamic Sharia and Radicalism: FPIs existence in Aceh from Early Days Onwards. Local Party Dynamics in Acehs Peace Process. Youth in Acehs Social Movements 199899. The Effectiveness of Peumakmu Nanggroe Program in Empowering Small Businesses in Lhokseumawe. Punishment by Caning within a Gender Framework: Examination of the Khalwat Mahkamah Sharia Decisions in Aceh Province 20052007. A Portrait of Gender Awareness amongst Law Enforcement Officials in North Aceh. Social Life and Economy of Fishing Community in Sarey Village, Lhoong, Aceh Besar. Worship of Religious Leaders in Indrapuri Aceh Besar Venture Capital as an Alternative for Small and Medium Size Businesses. Non-Muslims and Qanun in Aceh Province: The Experience of the Chinese community during the Implementation of Sharia. Peusijuek: A Traditional Social Ritual within the Acehnese Community from a Traditional and Modernist Perspective. Views on Reproductive Health by Female Students in Modernist and Traditional Islamic Boarding Schools in Aceh. Model of Inheritance Dispute Settlements in Aceh. Funeral Ceremonies of the Kluet in South Aceh: Diverse Meanings. Family Roles in Diabetes Management in Ulee Kareng, Banda Aceh. Experiences of Violence against Children in a Conflict Area (A Case Study of an Orphanage in North Aceh). A Friend Turns into a Foe: GAM - SIRA Relations in Aceh Politics. Motivation to Stop Smoking and Hindrances from Doing So (A Case Study of Banda Aceh Students). Farmers Household Economy in Conservation Enterprises (Case of Timang Gajah, Bener Meriah).
Discussing, writing and refining concepts.

ARTI has played a significant role [in fulfilling research goals], but not only because of the research funds we were granted. ARTI provided assistance through the monthly meetings with all the fellows where we could discuss the difficulties we were facing, through offering additional seminars and meetings, and providing access to internet and library (though I still feel access to academic journals in the library is too limited) I feel that my mentors worked hard. Lecturer at Universitas Syiah Kuala I feel like my research skills have improved through the ARTI program... though sometimes there would be a delay in receiving feedback from my mentors. I felt I received more supervision from Prof Harold Crouch... [Differences in opinion between mentors] often occurred. But I didnt consider this to be a big problem, because I followed the advice from ARTI that I didnt have to abide by each mentors advice. I followed it if their advice and approach was in line with what I had learnt in the ARTI courses... I think the mentoring system should be reconsidered, it would better if we were supervised directly by someone in Aceh. Just one mentor is enough... The area I improved in most was in how to create an introduction to an article that is interesting and attractive to the reader. Lecturer at Universitas Malikussaleh

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Case Studies of Individual Participants Sehat Ihsan: Hojat Religious Feast The Meaning of Funeral Ceremonies in the Kluet Community
Sehat is a lecturer at IAIN Ar-Raniry with a talent and passion for writing. Prior to his training at ARTI, Sehat had been a journalist for his campus paper, and a small local newspaper in Banda Aceh. He is an active blogger with an interest in a wide range of socio-political and cultural issues. Sehat joined the ARTI Level 2 Law and Religion course because, while he had a Masters degree and a number of published works, he knew his research skills and methods of analysis remained weak. Sehat is also keenly interested in anthropology and the social sciences more generally, and before joining ARTI he had read the works of leading academics such as the American Professor John Bowen and the Indonesian Professor Irwan Abdullah. He sought the supervision of these scholars to assist him in his fieldwork, along with a leading local academic from IAIN Ar-Raniry, Dr Aslam Nur, who received his Ph.D. from the ANU. Unfortunately Prof Bowen was unable to visit Aceh during Sehats research period and was, therefore, not able to offer his services. Sehat then contacted Prof Anthony Reid, then director of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, who agreed to supervise Sehats research project. Sehat was honoured to have the opportunity to be mentored by three such widely respected scholars. Sehat wanted to examine the cultural practice of burial rituals in a particular village. He was interested in why and how this cultural tradition remained so strong. It was essentially an anthropological study that required detailed ethnography, a methodological approach that Sehat knew little about, but was keen to learn. During his 6 months of research, Sehat gained a wealth of new knowledge that has instilled new levels of self-confidence, and has motivated him to continue down the path of social science research. There were times when Sehat was not able to receive the intensive mentoring he had hoped for, as both his national and international mentors are high-profile academics with busy schedules. However, he believes this forced him to think and act more independently, and he learnt a great deal from this experience. Sehat is now more confident in the field; he understands how to take detailed field notes, and how to conduct in-depth interviews rather than questionnaires. According to Sehat, one of the most valuable lessons he has learnt from the ARTI experience

Sehat Ihsan

is the importance of building up relationships and informal networks with the community in which research is being conducted. He gradually learnt that socialising with the community, and engaging with community members in informal contexts was critical for gaining rich ethnographic data. The ARTI Level 3 course also demonstrated ways to organise and analyse his data. Sehat now has the confidence to critically analyse existing literature, and feels his academic writing skills have also improved. Sehats progress in the field and commitment to social science research has made him one of ARTIs most successful trainees. Sehats success is not measured by the content of his final research article, but rather by the clear shift in Sehats approach to research, and the way in which ARTIs courses have opened up new opportunities for Sehat to continue improving his skills. Sehat was one of twenty-four researchers nationwide to be shortlisted recently for the Centre for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies Competitive Research Grant on Interpretations and Responses to Natural Disasters An Integrated Study of Science, Culture and Religion at Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta. He was the only candidate from Aceh to be considered for this prestigious grant from Indonesias leading university.

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While he was unsuccessful in advancing to the final round of this grant, he was invited to present a paper at The First International Graduate Student Conference on Indonesia at UGM. As part of this conference Sehat was invited to attend a preparatory writing workshop in Medan. On ARTI Program Leader Prof Harold Crouchs recommendation, Sehat was invited to be the head researcher for an ICAIOS research project on The Revitalisation of Adat Institutions in Aceh. He is currently supervising a team of three researchers conducting fieldwork around Aceh. In his capacity as Team Leader, Sehat provides academic guidance and support to his junior researchers and leads them in small training sessions on research methodologies. He also provides critical feedback on their work at monthly progress meetings. The Team Leader is also responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the teams progress every month. To this end Sehat has adopted the reporting templates used by ARTI, where researchers must report their activities and financial expenditure for the previous month. Therefore, Sehat continues to utilise skills and resources gained through ARTI courses in his role as a research coordinator and leader.

Not only has Sehat improved his skills as an independent field researcher, but he also feels more confident as a teacher. ARTI courses provided access to new material, gave him field experience, and also exposed him to new ways of teaching. Since completing his six-month funded research period, ARTI continues to involve Sehat in meetings with other Level 3 researchers to share his experiences and assist in training sessions. He is also regularly invited to help train local NGOs in research methods as a research consultant, in Banda Aceh and in Takengon, central Aceh. Sehat always emphasises that he is constantly learning new things, and that by no means does he consider himself an expert in social science research methodologies. However, his experience with ARTI has changed his approach to research, and provided new opportunities. He aims to continue learning from his peers, both local and international, and hope that there will be more opportunities for local scholars to cooperate with internationals in Aceh in the future. Sehat is currently planning to write a book based partly on research conducted with ARTI, and partly on current and future research projects.

Inayatillah: Female Leadership in Islamic Higher Education Institutions in Aceh Opportunities and Obstacles
Ina is on the Adab (Culture and History) faculty of IAIN Ar-Raniry in Banda Aceh. She had already attended research training methodologies courses in Aceh and Malaysia, but never really understood the material in a practical sense. She hoped that ARTI courses would broaden her understanding of approaches to research, and give her the opportunity to practically apply this knowledge. Although Ina is enrolled in a Ph.D. in Malaysia, she was never really taught how to write a good research proposal. She has always just had to find examples herself, and emulate other peoples proposals. Ina hoped ARTI would help her improve her proposal writing skills, and learn how to construct more effective research questions. She also felt she needed to learn how to conduct field work, collect data, and then how to analyse that data once collected and tabulated. She also needed to build experience and confidence in fieldwork. Ina had less academic knowledge in the field of gender studies than some of her counterparts, so she asked ARTI to assist her in finding suitable mentors.

Inayatillah

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PhD fellow, Thushara Dibley.

Dr Eka Srimulyani, IAIN.

Ina was fortunate to have Dr Eka Srimulyani as her local mentor who obtained her Ph.D. from UTS in Australia and has published in international journals and edited books in the field of gender and education in Indonesia. Thus her local mentor was able to assist Ina find suitable mentors. Prof Barbara Leigh from UTS and Dr Siti Ruhaini from UI Jakarta agreed to supervise Ina throughout the six-month Level 3 research project. Ina wanted to examine the complex social forces behind the low numbers of female academic staff at her university, IAIN Ar-Raniry. This topic was particularly sensitive for Ina as she was part of the staff itself, and she was unsure about how to approach her potential respondents. Of the three mentors, Ina felt her local and international mentors played dominant roles in her research, offering different though complimentary advice. Her local mentor could be accessed frequently and understands the situation in Aceh and important local issues, particularly as she is also a lecturer at IAIN ArRaniry Inas field location. Prof Barbara Leigh provided more assistance during the process of analysing data and the writing-up phase of her research. Inas national mentor introduced her to various theories of gender, and broadened her knowledge of the field. Ina found some of the theoretical aspects challenging, and decided not to incorporate some of the suggestions from her national mentor. Negotiating the various comments and feedback of her three mentors was a challenge for Ina, but she feels it has helped her become a more mature academic.

According to Ina, Prof Virginia Hookers Level 2 course on Gender in Society helped her to understand strategies for writing research proposals, and she has a clearer grasp of the genre and can produce much higher quality proposals. Since joining ARTIs Level 3 course, Ina is also far more confident as a researcher, particularly in the field. Previously she had no understanding of how to go about planning and conducting fieldwork, and was hence uncomfortable collecting data and doing interviews. Now she is more confident in her own abilities and the decisions she makes about her research. Testimony to Inas improved capacity as a researcher and writer, since graduating from ARTI she has been offered a series of interesting academic opportunities. After presenting her paper at an ARTI-sponsored public seminar, Ina was invited by her local mentor to be the co-editor of the published collection of the seminar papers. In February 2009, Ina presented her ARTI research at the International Conference on Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies in Banda Aceh in February of 2009. She was also recently selected to present her paper at a national conference in Semarang, Indonesia, and was invited to attend a short course on gender issues at the East-West Center in Hawaii. Like Sehat, Ina sees ARTI as an important step in her academic career. ARTI has helped refine Inas skills as a scholar and teacher. She is hopeful that this experience will assist her to complete the Ph.D., so she can become one of the few female lecturers at IAIN with a doctoral degree.

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Irfan Zikri: The Discourse and Identity of Poor Communities in Meunasah Manyang Village
Irfan, a lecturer at the Agriculture Faculty at Syiah Kuala University, wanted to participate in the ARTI courses because he hoped to gain new knowledge of and experience with research methodologies, particularly field work. Irfan is a career academic, with aspirations to undertake a Ph.D. abroad. He hoped ARTI would provide opportunities to meet with experienced scholars from whom he could learn more about qualitative research in the field. According to Irfan, ARTI was able to provide facilities, academic resources and access to professionals that would otherwise not be available in Aceh. The progress meetings, group discussions and workshops provided regular, stimulating forums for Irfan to present his research and consult with peers and ARTI staff about challenges and difficulties in the field. According to Irfan, he felt part of a progressive research community. Irfan selected mentors considered leading academics in their field, and with whom he already had personal connections. He believed this would facilitate greater ease and frequency of communication. However, one of the challenges for Irfan, particularly towards the end of his funded training period, was working without constant supervision from his mentors. There were times when communication and feedback was

Irfan Zikri

The cooling ceremony known as peusijeuk.

delayed or slow, and while this disappointed Irfan, he understood that these mentors had busy schedules. Communication wasnt always as intense as Irfan would have liked, and he was forced to work more independently. However, over time Irfan began to understand this as a way of developing his skills as an independent academic with the confidence to make decisions, particularly in the field. Irfans research focused on community perceptions of poverty in small, isolated and relatively poor villages in Aceh Besar. Conducting fieldwork presented a variety of challenges for Irfan. He found that his identity and status a middle-class lecturer in Acehs largest university influenced how people in the village responded to his questions. Irfan realized that his formal style, and the language used in questionnaires were making respondents uncomfortable. After consultations with his mentors and the ARTI Team Leader, Irfan began to adjust his approach in the village. For Irfan, this was a significant learning curve. The other challenge has been writing a publishable journal article. This is not a task most lecturers attempt as it is neither required nor encouraged within the university system. So, with minimal experience, Irfan looked to his mentors and ARTI Team Leader to guide him through this process. According to Irfan, his international mentor, Dr Michele Ford from Sydney University, has been instrumental in developing his capacity to form arguments, write critically, and structure an academic essay. While he has learnt so much about analyzing and writing up his data, Irfan still lacks confidence about his own skills, but still hopes to be published in a nationally accredited journal soon.

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Hamdani: Punishment in Aceh A Study of the Effectiveness of Caning in Lhokseumawe

Hamdani is a lecturer from Malikussaleh University in Lhokseumawe who took part in the early ARTI courses, and was part of the Law and Religion cohort of Level 3 Fellows. According to Hamdani, the ARTI experience inspired him to continue his tertiary studies at the doctoral level, and after completing the Level 3 Fellowship, Hamdanis Ph.D. proposal was accepted at UKM in Malaysia. ARTI courses taught him how to create a strong research proposal, and gave him the confidence to apply to an international doctoral program. During the ARTI fellowship Hamdani learnt a range of new skills and new approaches to social research. However, he identifies social research ethics as being the most important new issue the ARTI program covered in all levels of training courses. According to Hamdani, ethical dilemmas and sensitivities are not discussed in university research programs in Aceh, so it was a new and interesting area for him. It was also an important consideration for Hamdani as he was investigating a sensitive and controversial aspect of Islamic Law the caning punishment. The experience of field work itself was also new and exciting. Hamdani learnt the importance of speaking with a range of community members in order to gain a more holistic picture of how the caning punishments were being implemented. Hamdani was fortunate enough to have his international mentor, Dr Michael Feener, make frequent visits to Lhokseumawe to mentor Hamdani and other ARTI fellows. The group mentoring approach meant Hamdani was part of a small team of researchers under Dr Feeners supervision, all working on similar topics. For Hamdani, the opportunity to meet regularly, not just with his mentor but also with his peers, was integral to the development of his research ideas and his final draft. The meetings at the ARTI office with the Team Leader and ARTI staff and other Fellows was also an important forum to exchange ideas and resources, and Hamdani was grateful to be part of this academic community. Hamdani formed close friendships with his mentors through the ARTI program. They remain in close contact and continue to assist Hamdani in new research initiatives. He expects that the Indonesian and international scholars that he met through ARTI will remain an important part of his professional network for years to come.

A group of Level 3 participants including Hamdani [3rd from left] with mentor Dr Michael Feener [centre] in Lhokseumawe.

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Cut Ajaa Fauziah: Women and Pregnancy Myths A Case Study from Meulaboh in West Aceh
Unlike many ARTI fellows, Ajaa is not an academic, and her undergraduate degree majored in chemistry. However, she had been working for a prominent womens NGO, Flower Aceh, in the southwestern town of Meulaboh prior to joining the ARTI courses. She became increasingly interested in womens issues, particularly how socio-cultural factors influence womens health. Cut Ajaa hoped the experience at ARTI would enhance her self-development. She wanted to produce new, important research and to improve her skills so she could continue her studies at a leading institution. She saw ARTI as an entry point for a Masters degree with a research focus. Ajaa had no previous experience in social science research; she had always been interested in social enquiry, but this was her first opportunity for formal training and practical experience. This was also the first time she had been exposed to the academic field of gender studies, so the Level 2 course on Gender in Society was important preparation. She really enjoyed the courses and learnt a lot from the teachers; one of the Level 2 teachers even became her national mentor. Ajaas outstanding proposal produced during the Level 2 training demonstrated her significant development during the course, particularly her serious attempt to seek published references and to build on them in crafting a relevant, locally grounded research question. When Ajaa was accepted to Level 3, she was excited because she believed the mentoring program would lead her in the right direction and help her to develop the skills she needed for future studies. Ajaa was supervised by a leading local scholar in the field of public health, a gender expert from Universitas Indonesia, and a Ph.D. candidate from the Medical Anthropology department at Harvard University. These three mentors brought different perspectives and ideas to Ajaas research project. Ajaa wanted to examine the cultural mythology surrounding pregnancy in a village on the west coast of Aceh. More specifically, she looked at the responses of local women to those myths and traditional beliefs aimed at protecting, or influencing the health of pregnant women. Having three mentors from a range of disciplinary backgrounds presented no serious problems for Ajaa: the more advice, the more knowledge she gained. The main problem was that her mentors didnt always have enough time to answer Ajaas emails as quickly as she would have liked. But this meant that having three mentors was useful for Ajaa.

Peering out

Ajaas final research paper was accepted to the International Conference on Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies held in Banda Aceh in February 2009. Ajaa was thrilled to have the opportunity to present her own independent research in an international forum. She felt the presentation went well, and that her peers and international scholars in the audience gave her important advice and critical feedback. She was recently accepted to present her research again at the at the International Graduate Student Conference at the University of Indonesia. Her paper was also included in the ARTI publication of Acehnese researchers work on gender, edited by Inayatillah and Dr Eka Srimulyani. Ajaa feels she has gained many new skills, but above all, she is more confident in conducting and writing about her own research. The experience with ARTI, particularly with her group of mentors, has inspired her want to continue studying in this field. She is currently applying for scholarships to study at UI and UGM.

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Overcoming Isolation, Fostering Linkages: Regional and International Research Collaboration

Acehs political and social marginalisation over the decades of conflict served to isolate the higher educational system from outside influence. This contributed to the lack of current academic resources and minimal social research conducted in the region over those years. With the post-tsunami opening to external assistance, and the post-conflict possibility of conducting social research throughout Aceh, the ARTI program aimed to equip Acehnese professionals to conduct the research needed to support policymaking in their province. By holding training courses in multiple locations, linking with public and private academic and civil society institutions, and bringing Acehnese researchers together to discuss their projects, ARTI supported and strengthened the growing network of skilled local social researchers. ARTI continues to develop a Researcher Register to link national and international researchers with common interests in Aceh. ARTI also served to anchor some of the increased outside research attention to Aceh in a program embedded within Acehs premier academic institutions. Attracting foreign doctoral researchers and bringing international academics to Aceh as instructors and mentors raises the profile of the province, and broaden awareness about its social circumstances. By connecting local researchers to academic resources beyond Aceh through visits to national mentors, top Indonesian universities, and conference presentations, Acehnese professionals will be able to draw on those resources for the long term. The ARTI program explicitly sought to foster these regional, national, and international linkages, to support the overall goal of improving social research for policymaking in Aceh. Visiting academics represented a wide range of Indonesian and international universities and research institutes, and are listed in the final section of this report.

Promoting Regional Academic Collaboration

ARTI endeavoured to establish links with other Acehbased institutions through involving them in training programs, sharing information and resources, and working together to support local research initiatives. ARTI has links with the following institutions in Aceh: Universitas Syiah Kuala IAIN Ar-Raniry Universitas Muhammadiyah (Aceh) Universitas Malilkkulsaleh, Lhokseumawe Universitas Al-Muslim, Bireuen Universitas Teuku Umar (UTU), Meulaboh STAI Gajah Putih, Takengon Pusat Kajian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat (Research and Community Development Center), Banda Aceh Aceh Institute, Banda Aceh Pusat Studi Gender (Gender Study Center), Universitas Syiah Kuala Pusat Studi Wanita (Womens Study Center), IAIN Ar-Raniry Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Research Pasee Institute of Research, Lhokseumawe region Puslit IAIN Ar-Raniry Flower Aceh Aceh Peace Resource Centre Dr Leena Avonius was appointed the founding International Director of the new International Centre for Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies (ICAIOS), which opened its office at the PLPISB in December 2008. After organizing the highly successful second International Conference on Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies, from April 2009 Dr Leena Avonius joined ARTI, as International Director of Programs (IDP), working with the Program Manager to implement training initiatives, organize publications and public seminars, and expand upon the research networks ARTI had been building during the first three years of programs. From January 2010 Dr Avonius has served as the ARTI Team Leader, whilst maintaining her honorary appointment as ICAIOS International Director.

Networking: Sehat Ihsan, Level 3, with instructor, Jesse Grayman.

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presentation and conference paper for publication. Following this second ICAIOS conference, there was a general consensus amongst the research community in Aceh that there had been a significant increase in the number of contributions from local scholars and researchers in comparison to the ICAIOS conference two years before. ARTI is proud that so many local contributors were ARTI affiliates. Their papers, which were presented at this conference, were: Cut Ajaa Fauziah Pregnancy myths in Meureuboh, in West Aceh Region Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Elly Susanti Womens attitudes towards the division of roles in the rice farming industry in Kumang village Hamdani Caning laws in the Verandah of Mecca: a case study of the effectiveness of caning as a punishment in Lhokseumawe and North Aceh Inayatillah The role of women in higher education institutions in Aceh (an analysis of IAIN Ar-Raniry) Mahdi Abd Syihab Radicalism and Islamic law in North Aceh: an analysis of raids conducted by students from Santri pesantren Nanda Amalia Women and the implementation of law: a study of legal practitioners perspectives in North Aceh Saifuddin Dhuhri Peusijuek: A traditional social ritual within the Acehnese community from a traditional modernist perspective Paul Zeccola Humanitarian action and conflict transformation in Aceh, Indonesia Annemarie Samuels Reconstructing communities and the meeting of places: Spontaneous and organised reconstruction in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. ARTI Research Fellow Inayatillah worked in partnership with her research mentor and frequent ARTI guest lecturer, Dr Eka Srimulyani, to edit a collection of papers by local female researchers from ARTI and other local research institutes about contemporary Acehnese womens experiences in a range of social contexts. This book, Perempuan dalam Masyarakat Aceh: Memahami Beberapa Persoalan Kekinian (Women in Aceh: Understanding Contemporary Issues), was based on an ARTIorganised seminar that was held at IAIN Ar-Raniry and involved researchers and stakeholders from a range of universities, research centres, NGOs and government departments. The publication was a joint initiative of the Body for Womens Empowerment and Child Protection, the Research Center of IAIN Ar-Raniry, LOGICA and ARTI.

Prof Harold Crouch with a participant at the ARTI-UGM conference in Yogyakarta.

Communicating Research
An essential part of any research-training program should be facilitating the communication of research findings through a range of public forums, most important of which is publishing. Unfortunately, much research remains on bookshelves in the various research centres dispersed across Indonesia. ARTI aimed to have as many researchers as possible publish their findings in accredited national journals, and even internationally. Fellows were also encouraged to participate in academic conferences and workshops nationwide and internationally. ARTI also coordinated public seminars in partnership with various local research institutes where fellows presented their findings to peers and stakeholders within academic, NGO, and government circles. ARTI researchers found multiple avenues to present their research findings, including the following: Seven Level 3 research fellows presented their research findings at the ICAIOS International Conference on Conflict and its Remedies held in Banda Aceh in February 2009. ARTI worked closely with successful applicants to assist them prepare both the

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[From left] Eve Warburton, Cut Ajaa Fauziah, Dr Barbara Leigh, Nanda Amalia, and the editors Inayatillah and Dr Eka Srimulyani at the launch of Perempuan dalam Masyarakat Aceh: Memahami Beberapa Persoalan Kekinian (Women in Aceh: Understanding Contemporary Issues).

[From left] Prof Michael Leigh, Dr Leena Avonius, Marzi Afriko, Adlin Sila, Inayatillah, Nanda Amalia, Dr. Arskal Salim, Sehat Ihsan Shadiqin, Iskandar Ibrahim, Mahdi Syihab and Abidin Nurdin at the launch of Serambi Mekkah yang Berubah (The Changing Verandah of Mecca: Views from Within).

ARTIs Level 2 coordinators and mentors, Dr Arskal Salim (Aga Khan University, London) and Adlin Sila (Ministry of Religion), worked with selected fellows from the Law, Religion and Gender group, as well as local researchers from other institutes in Aceh to produce the edited book entitled Serambi Mekkah

yang Berubah (The Changing Verandah of Mecca: Views from Within). This book, published by Alvabet and distributed through Gramedia, was launched on 29 May 2010, and gives voice to local researchers perspectives on contemporary Aceh.

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Participants in the UGM conference with Prof Irwan Abdullah [fourth from left], Yogyakarta

On 30 November 2009, ARTI held a joint public seminar with Universitas Gadjah Mada, Local Dynamics in Indonesia: Social and Political Change at the Local Level, with attendance over 200 people. Six ARTI Fellows (one from Law and Religion, two from Public Health, and three from Politics, Peace, and Conflict), and two researchers from our partner institutions ICAIOS and CPCRS presented findings from recent fieldwork. Four students from UGM Graduate School also presented their Masters or PhD research. The Seminar was attended by over 200 people, and was moderated by Prof Michael Leigh, Prof Irwan Abdullah, Prof Harold Crouch, and Dr Leena Avonius. There was a stimulating and lively discussion between participants and speakers, and many opportunities for the ARTI fellows to network and meet with researchers from all over Indonesia. This event not only gave ARTI fellows a unique opportunity to present their findings, gather feedback, and network with an academic audience outside of Aceh, it also forged a solid partnership with UGM, and we expect there will be continuing collaboration with UGM in the future. One tangible outcome of this new partnership is that ARTI Team Leader Dr Leena Avonius, arranged for four young social scientists from Aceh to be enrolled

in the intensive field school training program conducted at southern Pekalongan led by Dr Pujo Semedi of the UGM Anthropology Department. Three ARTI graduates from the Gender, Religion and Law group have formed a small research team and are putting together a research proposal for funding from the local government. This research will expand upon their work at ARTI and proposes to examine community responses to Syariah Law, and how particular village communities previously dealt with the kinds of criminal offences now addressed in Syariah courts. The proposed study will adopt a social-anthropological approach, and researchers will use the qualitative research methodologies learnt through ARTI courses and their mentoring experiences. A Research Fellow from Gender in Society presented her ARTI research at a national conference in Semarang, and has also been invited to attend a short course on gender issues at the East-West Center in Hawaii. An ARTI fellow from the Law and Religion group gave a paper on her ARTI-funded research at the Asia Research Institute at the University of Singapore.

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 Three ARTI Research Fellows from the Gender and Environment courses were accepted to the International Conference and Summer School of Indonesian Studies at Universitas Indonesia, and presented their research to an international audience in July 2009. Two ARTI fellows from the Law and Religion course, one from the Livelihoods and Poverty course, one from Public Health, and two from Politics, Peace, and Conflict, and were accepted to the First International Graduate Student Conference on Indonesia at UGM in Yogyakarta. They presented their ARTI-funded research to an international audience, met with researchers from around Indonesia, Southeast Asia and Europe. For most, this was their first experience presenting at an international conference. A fellow from the Environment, Development and Institutions was accepted to the Penang International Conference on Sustainable Cultural Development. She presented her ARTI research and networked with leading international scholars. Four ARTI Level 3 researchers attended the Aceh Development International Conference on 26 March 2010 at University Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

In May 2010, one third of all the papers presented at the 9th ASEAN Seminar on Social Development were given by ARTI fellows, PhD students and Board members. Abidin Nurdin Level 3 researcher Sumber Legitimasi MPU dalam Proses Legislasi Qanun Syariat Islam di Provinsi Aceh Muslim Zainuddin Level 3 researcher Pertimbangan Hakam dalam Memutuskan Perkara Khalwat Padad Mahkamah Syariat Aceh Mahdi Abdullah Syihab Level 3 researcher Radikalisme Syariat Islam di Aceh Utara Suadi Level 3 researcher Kawan jadi Lawan Analisis relasi GAM-SIRS dalam Perpolitikan de Aceh M.Ridha Level 3 researcher Efektifitas Pengelolaan Mcredit Peumakmu Nanggroe dalam Pemberdayaan Usaha Mikro de Lhokseumawe Faridah Hanum Level 3 researcher Mengapa Masyarakat Hanya Dijadikan Objek Pembangunan? Setia Budi Raharjo Level 3 researcher Tetap Sehat Bersama Diabetes Mellitus Peran Keluarga dalam Pengelolaan Diabetes Mellitus Cut Dewi Level 3 fellow Paper: The history and interpretation of old shop houses Yusny Saby AUAB Member Social displacement a result of man made & natural disasters Rachel Schiller PhD Fellow Reconciliation in Aceh: Addressing the Social Effects of Prolonged Armed Conflict Catherine Elliot PhD Fellow Paper: Talking houses in Aceh Besar, Indonesia Annemarie Samuels PhD Fellow Remembering and forgetting through urban space in Banda Aceh Margaret Kartomi AUAC member Remaking society through the performing arts in postconflict, post-tsunami Aceh Michele Ford AUAC member and Thushara Dibley PhD Fellow Developing activist communities: the possibilities & limitations of aid-based approaches to social movements in post-conflict contexts Since participating in the ARTI program, several of our fellows have been offered PhD and Masters opportunities at universities outside of Aceh. Two fellows have been accepted into Ph.D. programs at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, one at Bandung

Cut Dewi, Level 3 participant.

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Dr Rini Budyanti, course coordinator. Two scholarship awardees taking part in the pre-departure training.

Institute of Technology (Indonesia), one at Bogor Institute of Technology (Indonesia), one has received an ADS Scholarship in Masters of Public Health at the University of Sydney, and two have received a provincial government scholarship and are currently applying to Ph.D. programs in Australia. ARTI conducted an intensive, two-month PostGraduate Pre-Departure Training Course to support preparedness of Acehnese students with provincial government scholarships to study overseas. This pilot project was for 15 Acehnese graduate students preparing to undertake studies in the social sciences at Australian universities. This project was initiated at the request of the Acehnese Universities, and the provincial governments Aceh Scholarship Commission. ARTI worked closely with the Commission in preparing the course, which was coordinated by Dr Rini Budiyanti and co-taught with Julia Harrison. Incoming and mid-course student evaluations identified five key integrated topics to cover in the training: English for academic purposes, Study skills, Multimedia presentation skills, Cross-cultural skills, and Research skills. Students drafted and critiqued short essays for each field of study, and they reported greatly increased confidence for study abroad at the end of the course. We expect the success of this pilot project will lead to the funding of future courses, and that our partnership with the Scholarship Commission will continue to strengthen.

In July 2009, ARTI International Director of Programs Dr Leena Avonius conducted gender training for 49 newly elected female Members of Parliament in Aceh. The project also produced a compilation of gender regulations for distribution to all 700 Members of Parliament in Aceh. Dr Leena Avonius headed a research project on Revitalisation of Adat (Customary) Institutions in Aceh alongside four Acehnese researchers (including two ARTI graduates) based in different regions of the province. The research examines how changing regulations open space for new interpretations of customary institutions, and held multiple workshops around Aceh to discuss field results. Dr Minako Sakai (UNSW-ADFA) mentored researchers and gave extensive feedback on drafts presented at the Aceh Cultural Festival (Pekan Kebudayaan Aceh) in August 2009. ARTI sponsored Dr John McCarthy to serve as keynote speaker at the February 2010 Conference on Climate Change and Poverty Research, part of an ongoing ICAIOS and UNDP project headed by Dr Leena Avonius and funded by the Ford Foundation.

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PhD Travel Grants

In addition to the training courses, ARTI offered Travel Grants to twenty Indonesian and international PhD students conducting field research in Aceh. Grants consisted of a return airfare from the recipients home institution to Banda Aceh, a small living allowance for Indonesian students, a desk space, facilitated involvement with the Acehnese researchers, and internet access at the ARTI office. These grants were intended to provide an opportunity not only to conduct fieldwork in Aceh, but also to contribute to courses, share resources and network with local researchers and course participants. The shared physical space allowed for a lively crossfertilization of ideas both amongst the international PhD researchers and with the ARTI fellows, as well as with visiting mentors and overseas researchers, which is an essential component of developing a vibrant research culture as evidenced in Daniel Birchocks response below. The students who were awarded ARTI travel grants are as follows: Annemarie Samuels Netherlands Leiden University Roles and activities of different social actors in the posttsunami reconstruction process Annie Herro Australia University of Sydney Peacekeeping and civilian protection: Perceptions of Indonesian decision makers Antje Missbach Germany Australian National University The impact of the Acehnese diaspora towards homeland politics during and after the war in Aceh (19762008) Catherine Elliott Australia University of Tasmania Communities responses to post-disaster housing in Aceh Catherine Smith Australia Australian National University Womens wellbeing and subjectivity in the post-conflict period Daniel Birchock USA University of Michigan History of Islamic discourse & practice in Aceh since 1945, focusing on Acehs SW coast David Kloos Netherlands VU University, Amsterdam Islamic education and religious practice in Aceh Dina Afrianty Indonesia University of Melbourne Local Womens NGOs and the reform of Islamic Law in Aceh Jane Palmer Australia University of Technology Sydney Intersection between an aging population & environmental challenges, including climate change Jum Anggriani Indonesia Universitas Padjadjaran Central governments monitoring of local implementing regulations in Aceh Kristina Grossman Germany Frankfurt University Gender constructions between Sharia, autochthonous culture and modernity Women activists and female life-worlds Marjanna Jauhola Finland Aberystwyth University Feminist politics, heteronormativity and gender mainstreaming initiatives in post-tsunami Aceh Milja Rantala Finland University of Tampere Intern Muhammad Nazaruddin Indonesia Gajah Mada University Identity Politics in the Acehnese Resistance (Study of GAM)

International PhD student Catherine Smith, Australia.

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Reflections from Ph.D. scholarship recipient Daniel Birchok:

Throughout my almost two years of research, beginning well before I officially became an ARTI fellow, ARTI proved to be a resource that far exceeded any expectations that I had regarding it. The travel grant alone made working with ARTI an invaluable resource given that air travel from the United States to Banda Aceh usually costs around 1,500 U.S. dollars. However, once on the ground in Aceh ARTIs space and personnel supported my research in ways that I had not imagined it would. On a very basic level, the housing facilities at ARTI provided me and other colleagues visiting Banda Aceh, whether we were visiting from Nagan Raya, Jakarta, or overseas, a place to transition while seeking transportation and housing of our own. This became particularly valuable for me when I became ill in April of 2008 and was able to use the housing facilities as I transitioned back and forth between Banda Aceh, Jakarta, and Singapore for treatment. The classrooms and meeting rooms, internet access, and other working spaces provided places to do vital work that would have been difficult elsewhere and to network and have intellectual exchanges with others associated with ARTI. This last point probably reflects the most important benefit I gained through working with ARTI. It seemed it was impossible to come to the ARTI complex and not run into some other mind with whom I could exchange ideas, methodological tips, or just a heartfelt conversation about the trials of research. And the diversity of interlocutors whom I met and with whom I began stimulating relationships was truly amazing. They included senior Western scholars well-known in several fields, other PhD students from the US, Australia and the Netherlands at the same point in their careers as I, Indonesian academics and intellectuals from universities throughout Aceh, Jakarta and elsewhere in the archipelago, English teachers from around the world, and Acehnese activists and NGO workers. I have been a part of many institutions that set as their goal exchange among a broad range of intellectual contributors, but so often these well-meaning efforts fall short because of the many challenging factors they must overcome. But in its open space, workshops, and various other programs and activities, ARTI really succeeded in bringing together scholars from different occupational, disciplinary, and cultural backgrounds, all with their own concerns and projects, for meaningful and heartfelt exchange. This is a true accomplishment, especially given the post-conflict context in which ARTI was created, and I deservedly applaud it here as I recount the many benefits that ARTI brought to me during my time conducting research in Aceh.

International PhD student Daniel Birchok, USA.

Nichola Minott USA The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University Assessing the Impact of Sudden and Severe Environmental Events on the Dynamics of Ongoing Civil Conflict: The Case of the 2004 Tsunami on Aceh, Indonesia Paul Zeccola Australia Australian National University Research topic: Humanitarian action in Aceh from 19982007 Rachel Schiller USA The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University Research topic: Reconciliation in Aceh: Addressing the Social Effects of Prolonged Armed Conflict Scott Naysmith Canada London School of Economics Research topic: Interrogating perceptions, priorities and livelihoods: a multi-site ethnography of avian influenza in two communities in Indonesia Sheila Murugasu Malaysia Monash University, Malaysia campus Research topic: Political transnationalism among migrants in Southeast Asia Thushara Dibley Australia University of Sydney Research topic: Local NGOs perceptions of the peacebuilding process in Aceh

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Digital Library Development

A top priority for ARTI has been the rehabilitation of the PLPISB library, the introduction of a vast collection of digital research material focussed on Aceh, and the application of text search and cataloguing technology to make the wealth of new material accessible to researchers. Though housed in a modest room, the library now provides an unprecedented resource for research in Aceh. ARTIs investment in these library resources represents the programs core commitment to sustained improvement in social research on and in Aceh. The initiatives include the digitalisation of all 310 of the PLPIIS/PLPISB research reports on Acehnese society, which together with its other information assets provide an unprecedented baseline resource for research on Aceh. Under the leadership of ARTI Team Leader Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder, ARTI initiated the ongoing project of collecting and inventorying the extensive body of research reports and documents produced by government agencies, research institutes, and NGOs working on post-tsunami and post-conflict issues in Aceh.The perseverance of US and Finnish volunteers, Jesse Gerstin and Milja Rantala, meant that copies of so much of this valuable material remain in Aceh, and are available to researchers. Nearly all of this collection is in digital form. The Netherlands Government sponsored digitisation of the whole Aceh collection held at Leiden University by the KITLV, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies. Those digitised holdings span Dutch records on Aceh for most of the 20th century, and are held in the research library, with identical copy of its digital archives held at the provincial documentation center (Pusat Dokumentasi dan Informasi Aceh, PDIA), located in Banda Aceh and the Universities. Digitising of the PLPISB library has enabled the library to significantly enhance its operability and ability to store and disseminate research pertaining to Aceh. With generous assistance of Mr. Alan Ford, the library was also able to install a new customised digital library cataloguing system donated by Libcode, and has received staff training in computer cataloguing processes. To enable the application of the digital cataloguing system, ARTI purchased a new computer server (HP

Muhammad Nur, Sri and Nani working in the library.

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[From left] Jesse Gerstin, Ibu Meilizar, Mrs Ford and Alan Ford.

ProLiant 150L) to host the library network and to store digital materials. With the development of the acehresearch.org website, the librarys digital database has been able to be searched remotely, though the ability to upload digital materials to the website is still limited by weak internet connectivity and server downtime due to electricity failure. Donations from visiting ARTI affiliates and program purchases have seen the collection of new library materials greatly expanded with over 700 new books covering both classic material and recent research. The librarian is now aided by a fulltime library assistant, allowing the library to expand its scope of activities, and to operate as a conventional library.

Future Directions
The ARTI program equipped local researchers by providing them with a unique intensity and quality of research training and supervision. ARTI course participants, and especially the Research Fellows, undertake training in foundational aspects of social research, build skills in research proposal development, benefit from professional oversight of their fieldwork, and receive mentoring in professional academic writing and publishing. Researchers and mentors who committed significant time resources to their projects have seen impressive progress in the researchers abilities to conduct independent social research projects. Drawing on participants feedback,

areas in greatest need of more attention in ongoing programs include securing researchers exclusive time commitments to the fieldwork components of their projects, earlier and more intensive attention to researchers professional writing skills, and further strengthening the peer research groups for iterative feedback on the fieldwork and writing portions of the program. At the 8 December 2009 meeting of the Aceh Universities Advisory Board, the five Rectors of Acehs primary universities unanimously agreed to rename the PLPISB complex, redeveloped through the ARTI program, as the Aceh International Social Research Centre [AISRC], the Pusat Penelitian Sosial Internasional Aceh [PPSIA]. This decision demonstrates how the posttsunami, peacetime infusion of attention to research through this Centre has built on the long history of the PLPIIS/PLPISB as a training centre for Indonesian social scientists, to now become a regional hub of international research. ARTIs model of bringing together national and international academics and research users, and fostering research collaborations that cross regional and national boundaries for mutual learning, has contributed to an atmosphere in which Acehnese researchers work as peers to visiting academics. The comprehensive training opportunities provided for Acehnese scholars, policy-makers, and development practitioners will continue to impact reconstruction and social development in Aceh. ARTIs support of international research on Aceh has raised Acehs profile and an understanding of Acehnese issues on a global scale. The institutional support of building library and human resources, and ongoing support for the new AISRC as a Centre firmly embedded within Acehs leading academic institutions, will sustain ARTIs impact over the long term In the wake of the tsunami, the Myer Foundation and then AusAID, committed substantial funding to build and sustain ARTI, for the period 200610. Acehs Provincial Government [PEMDA] has committed IDR 2.7 billion to support local costs of the Centre in 2010. External funding is being sought to ensure that the Centre can continue to function as a strong International research institute, with a mission to equip Acehnese, and other Indonesians, with essential research skills, those that are also required for evidencebased policy making, to guide the re-building, social and economic development of society.

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Australian Universities Advisory Committee [AUAC] team leaders and Melbourne staff: [From left] Angus McIntyre, Barbara Leigh, Harold Crouch, Virginia Hooker, Leena Avonius, Eve Warburton, Laura Meitzner Yoder, Linda Poskitt, Amber Earles, Richard Chauvel, Michael Leigh. AUAC members who were unable to attend the meeting were Margaret Kartomi, Anthony Zwi and Michele Ford.

The ARTI people

Early in 2005, a small group of academics from eight Australian universities came together, concerned to find ways in which they and others could meaningfully assist the recovery and re-building of a province devastated by the tsunami and by the preceding thirty years of civil conflict. In February the University of Melbournes Tsunami Task Force, led by DVC Prof Peter McPhee, supported a rapid needs analysis of higher education in Aceh, conducted by Prof Michael Leigh. Michael was strongly encouraged and guided by former Aceh Governor, Prof Dr Syamsuddin Mahmud, Prof Darwis Sulaiman and Dr Bukhari Daud of Unsyiah, Dr Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, the Director-General of Higher Education, Dr Rizal Sukma, CSIS, Dr M. Syafi Anwar, and Prof Azumardi Azra, the Rector of Universitas Islam Negri, Indonesia. Based upon the recommendations of that analysis, the Myer Foundation committed $250,000 to support these efforts. The following year, after intensive investigations and program planning, AusAID committed a further $2,363,549 to fund a much larger three-year program, and contracted the University of Melbourne, working on behalf of the eight Australian and four Indonesian Universities. In order to foster sustainability, the program was extended for a further 6 months through June 2010. ARTI has been overseen by the Aceh Universities Advisory Board, the Australian Universities Advisory Committee, and the Project Coordinating Committee who worked together from the beginning to progressively shape the program to meet current needs within Acehs changing context. The individuals on this collaborative international leadership team, together with the Aceh-based staff and visiting lecturers, made this program possible through their shared commitment to assisting the ongoing re-development of Aceh at the beginning of a new era of reconstruction and peace in the province. The Aceh Universities Advisory Board (AUAB) provided direction and advice on Acehnese context and priorities. The AUAB is led by the Rector of Syiah Kuala University, Prof Dr Darni Daud, whose steadfast and active commitment to the vision of rebuilding and strengthening the PLPISB has been critical to the development and success of the ARTI program. The Rectors of Acehs key universities provided leadership as members of the AUAB: Prof Yusni Saby then Prof Dr Farid Wajdi Ibrahim of IAIN Ar-Raniry; Prof DrAbdul Hadi Arifin of Universitas Malikussaleh, Dr Ibrahim Alfian of Universitas Teuku Umar and Drs Fauzi Amin, Pembantu Rektor Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh. The Australian Universities Advisory Committee (AUAC) worked together to review requests from Aceh and identify the people and institutions that could best meet those needs, and advises on new initiatives that might meaningfully be incorporated within this project.

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In 2006, the Vice-Chancellors formally appointed the following as their representatives: Prof Michael Leigh Director, Asia Institute The University of Melbourne Prof Virginia Hooker College of Asia & the Pacific Australian National University Dr Michele Ford Dept. of Indonesian Studies University of Sydney Prof Anthony Zwi Head, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University o f New South Wales Dr Barbara Leigh Head, Asia Pacific Studies University of Technology, Sydney Prof Margaret Kartomi Music & Performing Arts Monash University Dr Angus McIntyre School of Social Sciences LaTrobe University Dr Richard Chauvel Director, Australia-Asia Pacific Institute, Victoria University of Technology These representatives formed the AUAC membership for the full duration of ARTI. The Project Coordinating Committee provided oversight to ARTI, reviewing progress, approving forward plans and changes, and offering counsel on issues that arose. Headed by the Rector of the Syiah Kuala University, its formal membership consisted of a representative of the Indonesian and Australian Governments, the Myer Foundation and the University of Melbourne, as the contracting agency, working on behalf of the eight Australian Universities. The University of Melbourne team held responsibility for overall project management and implementation.

[From left] ARTI team leaders Dr Leena Avonius, Prof Harold Crouch, Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder

Prof Michael Leigh, Director ARTI, with Prof Samsul Rizal, Deputy Rector 1, Syiah Kuala University.

Professor Michael Leigh has served as Project Director from the outset, drawing on his background and longterm commitment to Aceh since serving as tenaga ahli utama at the Aceh PLPIIS in 197879. Linda Poskitt has administered all reporting and project communications, inheriting systems so ably set up by Amber Earles. Linda was assisted by Erin Eades with administration relating to ARTI travel grants and Level 3 Australian mentors. Maryanne Bossen, Accounts Payable Manager, University of Melbourne oversaw financial procedures relating to the Project. Professor Abdullah Saeed, who succeeded Michael as the Director of the Asia Institute, has been most supportive of ARTI. The staff of the Asia Institute have assisted in many ways. The successive Unsyiah PLPISB directors: Prof Bahrein Sugihen, Prof Samsul Rizal (Deputy Rector I), and Dr Husaini Ibrahim have linked ARTI into the university structure and context, providing leadership on both institutional and academic issues. From June 2010, Dr Saiful Mahdi (Unsyiah) took up the position as the director of the international research centre, which will carry forward the work of ARTI. Aceh-based staff displayed extraordinary commitment to the ARTI program. Each of the three successive Team Leaders brought to that role highly relevant research backgrounds, experience with Indonesian institutions, and knowledge of the Acehnese context. Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder (200608) developed training curriculum and course structure, focusing on Level 1 and Level 2 courses. Laura commenced recruitment and teaching ARTI courses with no facilities, and concurrently assumed the role of supervising extensive building and facilities renovation. Professor Harold Crouch (200809) oversaw the development and completion of the Level 2 courses and provided meticulous supervision of Level 3 research and writing. Dr Leena Avonius (2010) expanded ARTIs

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Ibu Meilizar and Eve Warburton.

external linkages, concurrently served as ICAIOS Director, and launched new research projects on climate change and poverty, and revitalisation of Adat (Customary) Institutions in Aceh. ARTI Programs Manager Eve Warburton came with the support of Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (200809) and Volunteering for International Development Australia (200910). She tirelessly and adeptly oversaw program administration, monitoring and evaluation, and expansion of new training initiatives. From 200609 Ibu Meilizar served as the Office Manager, maintained the programs financial systems, and the wide network of course participants. Teuku Murdani joined ARTI in 2009 as the Programs Officer then went on take over Eves role as the Programs Manager in 2010. From early 2010, Teuku Murdani was assisted by Self Rumbewas as the new Programs Officer, also sponsored by Volunteering for International Development Australia. Sudirman handled logistical arrangements for the growing number of visitors, courses, and staff from 2007 to 2009. Muhammad Nur was appointed as the office security guard and logistical assistant. Mohamad Samrin shared daytime security duties. Rahmad joined ARTI in 2009 as a driver and logistical assistant. Nanisa, Sriwanahandayani, and Evi Susianti have all helped maintain the ever-expanding library collection in their role as Librarians. Rahmayanti oversaw housekeeping and course hospitality. As local programs expanded into 2010, so did the ARTI office. ARTI engaged a full-time Finance Officer,

Sri Rahayu Setia Ningrum, a new Office Manager Dian Elisa and an IT Officer Fachrurrazi Arwin, to assist with the technical demands of training courses and the digital library collection. ARTI has also relied upon the hard work and energy of numerous volunteers and short-term assistants. Alan Ford made three trips to Aceh, and for a total of seven weeks he trained library staff in new search and retrieval systems that make the extensive digital library resources available to researchers. Jesse Gerstin and Sarah Newman assisted with ARTI students, IT, and library resources during their terms as English Lecturers at Syiah Kuala University through the Oberlin College (USA) Shansi Fellows program. Milja Rantala from University of Tampere joined the ARTI team as a student intern to help prepare new training courses and expand the digital library collection. ARTI has also regularly called upon the skills of local translators and interpreters from Alkafi, a local NGO that offers language courses and related services in English, Indonesian and French. Ms. Christine Edwards (CEO) and Elena Mogilevski of the Myer Foundation were most supportive throughout the four years of planning and implementation of these initiatives. The Hon. Bruce Billson made a timely intervention that prioritized these activities for the Australian Government, and the Australian Ambassador H.E. Bill Farmer presided over a ceremony officiall y launching ARTIs programs. Dr Glen Chandler, Dr Guy Jansen and Michael Pilbrow played an active role in planning the expanded programs. Dian Puspitasari, Didi Marjimi, Dan Hunt, Junita, Lila, Patrick Hermanus, and Thomas Pratomo of AusAID maintained active interest in the program, and assisted in many ways from outset to completion. The independent mid-term program reviewer, Dr Valerie Haugen, made a very positive evaluation of ARTI, and proffered a number of helpful recommendations. ARTI greatly benefitted from collaboration in training and publications with other concurrent AusAID programs in Aceh, including especially LOGICA, ACARP, CEPA and Support for Education Sector Development in Aceh. Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder drafted and edited most of this report, with the active assistance of Eve Warburton who supplied so much critical information. This document has benefitted from the contribution of a number of those who have played a key role in ARTI, who added their insights, made corrections and offered most helpful comments.

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Lecturers and Mentors

ARTI courses have involved more than 150 lecturers from a wide range of universities, research institutes, and other organisations located throughout Indonesia, Australia, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The following lists give the names and affiliations of the 36 lecturers for the twenty-two interdisciplinary Level 1 courses, the 34 lecturers in the six discipline-specific Level 2 research methodologies courses, and the 90 individual research mentors for Level 3. All, in their own special ways, made a significant impact, for which ARTI is greatly appreciative.

Level 2 Lecturers
Law and Religion coordinators Arskal Salim Aga Khan University, London Adlin Sila Research Unit, Dept Religion guest lecturers Syafii Mufid Research Unit, Dept Religion Euis Nurlaelawati UIN-Jakarta Nina Nurmila UIN-Bandung Daniel Birchok University of Michigan Kamaruzzaman Bustamam Ahmad Unsyiah; Aceh Justice Resource Center Gender in Society coordinators Virginia Hooker Australian National University Nina Nurmila UIN-Bandung guest lecturers Siti Musdah Mulia UIN-Jakarta Zulkarnaini IAIN, Syariah Faqihuddin Abdul Kodir Fahmina Institute Lies Marcoes Asia Foundation Dina Afrianty University of Melbourne Catherine Smith Australian National University Livelihoods and Poverty coordinators John Maxwell Australian National University Nuning Akhmadi SMERU Nina Toyamah SMERU Environment, Development and Institutions coordinators Suraya Affif Universitas Indonesia Wijanto Hadipuro Soegijapranata Catholic University, Semarang guest lecturers Humam Hamid Universitas Syiah Kuala Eka Srimulyani IAIN, Adab Public Health coordinators Kathy Robinson Australian National University; Abdul Wahab Universitas Gajah Mada guest lecturers Setyawati Budiningsih Universitas Indonesia Laine Berman Australian Red Cross Fahmi Ichwansyah Universitas Syiah Kuala Nini Supartnin International Organization for Migration Politics, Peace and Conflict coordinators Harold Crouch University of Melbourne Thushara Dibley University of Sydney guest lecturers Leena Avonius ICAIOS/ARTI Aguswandi Aceh Peace Resource Centre Adrian Morel World Bank Cameron Nobel Multi-Stakeholder Review

Level 1 Lecturers
Alchaidar UNIMAL, Fisipol Al-Mussana STAI-Gajah Putih Apridar UNIMAL, LPPM Bahrein T. Sugihen Unsyiah Craig Thorburn Monash University Daniel Birchok University of Michigan David Reeve University of New South Wales Edy Kelana STAI-Gajah Putih Eka Srimulyani IAIN Ar-Raniry, Adab Elysa Wulandari Unsyiah, Architecture Eny Dameria UNIMAL, PSP-LPPM Eve Warburton ARTI Fahmi Ichwansyah POLTEKKES Fitriah Ismail UNIMAL Harold Crouch University of Melbourne Hasnul Arifin Melayu IAIN Ar-Raniry, Syariah Iskandar STAIN Iwan Amir Oxfam Jesse Grayman Harvard University Laura Meitzner Yoder University of Melbourne/Unsyiah Mahdi Abdullah Syihab STAIN Michael Feener National University of Singapore Michael Leigh University of Melbourne Muslim Zainuddin IAIN Ar-Raniry, Syariah Nurjannah Ismail IAIN Ar-Raniry-Adab Nurlaila Universitas Al-Muslim Paul Zeccola ANU Rahmawati Universitas Al-Muslim Ron Witton University of Wollongong Saifuddin Dhuri STAIN Saleh Sjafei Unsyiah, Law Suraya Affif Universitas Indonesia-Pascasarjana/ Anthropology Syarqawi UNIMAL Thushara Dibley University of Sydney Vivi Silvia Unsyiah, Economics Zulkarnaini IAIN Ar-Raniry, Syariah

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Level 3 Mentors
Abdul Wahab Universitas Gajah Mada Achmad Gunaryo IAIN-Walisongo Semarang Adlin Sila Research Unit, Departamen Agama Agussabti Universitas Syiah Kuala Agustina Universitas Syiah Kuala Al Chaidar Universitas Malikusaleh Lhokseumawe Anthony Reid National University of Singapore Anton Lucas Flinders University Ardi Kantor Statistik Jakarta Arskal Salim Aga Khan University, London Aslam Nur IAIN Ar Raniry Azizah Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Barbara Leigh University of Technology Sydney Chris Manning Australian National University Colin Brown Universitas Parahyangan Bandung David Reeve University of New South Wales Dede Rosyada Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Didin Hafidhuddin Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Edward Aspinall Australian National University Eka Srimulyani IAIN Ar Raniry, Adab Eppy R. Sapri University of Islam, Bandung Ervita Sumardjono LSM Nasional Fahmi Ichwansyah Politeknik Kesehatan Fajran Zain Aceh Institute Farid Wajdi IAIN Ar-Raniry Fauzi Ali Amin Universitas Muhammadiyah, Banda Aceh Greg Fealy Australian National University Hamid Sarong IAIN Ar-Raniry Harun Ismail Universitas Malikussaleh Lhokseumawe Haryo Winarso Institusi Planologi Hasanuddin Rahman Jakarta Herian Puspitawati Pusat Studi Gender, Institut Pertanian Bogor Humam Hamid Universitas Syiah Kuala Iriani M. Politeknik Kesehatan Irwan Abdulah Universitas Gajah Mada Iskandar Madjid Universitas Syiah Kuala Izziah Universitas Syiah Kuala Jamhuri Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Jeff Neilson University of Sydney Jesse Grayman Harvard University John Maxwell Australian National University John McCarthy Australian National University Julian Millie Monash University Kamaruddin Hidayat Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Kamaruzzaman Bustamam LaTrobe University Kathy Robinson Australian National University Khoiruddin Universitas Islam Negri, Yogyakarta Kwartarini Wahyu Yuniarti Universitas Gajah Mada Laura Meitzner Yoder University of Melbourne Leena Avonius ICAIOS/ARTI

Lesley Potter Australian National University Lyn Parker University of Western Australia Maswadi Rauf Universitas Indonesia Michael Feener National University of Singapore Michele Ford University of Sydney Misri A. Muchsin IAIN Ar-Raniry Muhaimin Abdul Gafar Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Mulsim Ibr IAIN Ar-Raniry Muslahuddin Daud The World Bank Nadirsyah Hosen University of Wollongong Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin Universitas Indonesia Nezar Patria Direktor Aliansi Jurnalis Indpenden, Jakarta Nicholas Herriman Monash University Nina Toyamah SMERU Nurjanah Nitura Psychologist Otto Nur Abdullah Universitas Indonesia Patrick Barron The World Bank Rasyidin Universitas Malikussaleh Lhokseumawe Robert Wrobel World Bank Roxana Waterson National University of Singapore Rusjdi Ali Muhammad IAIN Ar-Raniry Saifuddin Bantasyam Universitas Syiah Kuala Sanusi Bintang Universitas Syiah Kuala Siti Ruhaini Dhuhayatin Universitas Islam Negri, Jakarta Sri Rahayu Buk Institut Teknologi Bandung Stephen Drakeley University of Western Sydney Sulistyowati Irianto University of Indonesia Suraiya Kamaruzzaman Flower Aceh Suraya Affif Universitas Indonesia Syafii Mufid Research Unit, Dept of Religion Syarizal IAIN Fak Syariah Taslim HM Yasin IAIN Ar-Raniry Teuku Zulham Universitas Syiah Kuala Titik Sumarti Institut Pertanian Bogor Usman Basuni Badan Pemberdayaan Perempuan Pemerintah RI Wijanto Hadipuro Soegijapranata Katolik University Semarang Yacob Kepala Dinas Pertanian, Aceh Tengah Yusra Jamali LSN Lokal Zinatul Hayati Universitas Syiah Kuala Zubaidah Djohar Aceh Institute

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

ACARP AIPRD AISRC ARTI AUAB AUAC AusAID AYAD BAPPEDA BRR IAIN ICAIOS IDP IDR LOGICA NGO PIR PLPIIS PLPISB PPSIA STAI UGM UNIMAL UNMUHA UNSYIAH VIDA Aceh Community Assistance Research Project Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development Aceh International Social Research Centre [=PPSIA] Aceh Research Training Institute Aceh Universities Advisory Board Australian Universities Advisory Committee Australian Agency for International Development Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Daerah (Regional Development Planning Board) Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Board) Institut Agama Islam Negeri (State Institute of Islamic Studies) International Centre for Aceh and Indian Ocean Studies International Director of Programs Indonesian Rupiah Local Governance and Infrastructure for Communities in Aceh Non-Government Organization Pasee Institute of Research, Lhokseumawe Pusat Latihan Penelitian Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial Pusat Latihan Penelitian Ilmu Sosial Budaya Pusat Penelitian Sosial Internasional Aceh Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam (Islamic Religious Institute) Universitas Gadjah Mada Universitas Malikussaleh Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh Universitas Syiah Kuala (Syiah Kuala University) Volunteers for International Development Australia

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Aceh Research Training Institute [ARTI]

Published June 2010 Aceh Research Training Institute Copies of this publication are available from ARTI, Gedung PLPISB, Jn. T. Nyak Arief, Unsyiah, Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111 Indonesia Prof Michael Leigh, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 Australia Email mleigh@unimelb.edu.au Copies may also be downloaded at www.acehresearch.org Acknowledgements Detailed acknowledgements appear in the section of this report entitled: The ARTI People. The support of Syiah Kuala University, the Myer Foundation, AusAID and the University of Melbourne has been critical to the success of the program. Dr Laura Meitzner Yoder has carefully drafted and edited this report, with the active assistance of Ms Eve Warburton. In the process, a great many others have also contributed. Cover image: Nanda Amalia [left] and Inayatillah, Level 3 fellows and contributors to two books published as part of the ARTI program. Endpapers: The Politics, Peace and Conflict Level 2 course participants, together with PhD fellow and lecturer Thushara Dibley [third from right, inside back cover] and Lecturer and Co-ordinator Prof Harold Crouch [standing behind Thushara]. Graphic design: Ian Robertson, Melbourne Printing: Bambra Press, Melbourne

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61

The Aceh ReseARch TRAining insTiTuTe [ARTi] was established in response to the devastation caused by the tsunami of 26 December 2004 to higher education institutions in Aceh, indonesia. its goal is to build local capacity for undertaking high quality, relevant social science research in the humanities and social sciences to be used by the higher education sector, government and ngOs, and providing the essential skills for evidence-based policy making.

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