Jack McNaught is the founder of International Internships, and has lectured finance at Deakin University. He was a delegate to CAUSINDY 2013 in Canberra.

What have you been up to recently?

I am living in Indonesia, furthering my study of Indonesian at Gadja Madah University. I am also still managing International Internships, a company that works with universities and directly with students to facilitate internships and other educational experiences in Indonesia.

Did CAUSINDY help you form new networks and relationships?

Yes, absolutely! CAUSINDY helped me to build my network of friends with an interest in Indonesia and also put me in contact with a number of very well respected figures, which has been fantastic for the work that I do with International Internships.

What is your advice for new applicants?

If you are considering applying for CAUSINDY then I’m sure you are already passionate about Indonesia and are well aware that it is an amazing country. I encourage you to make sure you can demonstrate that passion and how it relates to your specific field of interest. This might mean reading as much as you can, strengthening your Indonesian language skills or simply talking to as many people as possible. If you know what you are talking about, you will be both better placed to be accepted into the conference and to get the most out of the experience once you’re there.

How did participating in CAUSINDY benefit you?

Mainly through meeting lots of people, Australians and Indonesians, with a shared interest in Indonesia and with lots of energy to be doing very different and exciting things. I have run into those same people again and again since – sometimes the Australia-Indonesia world can be quite small! – and have worked with some on mutual endeavours. I also learnt a lot from the presentations, which were from some of the most knowledgeable people in the field.

CAUSINDY is a fantastic conference and a rare opportunity for youth interested in the relationship between Indonesia and Australia – I can’t think of any other platform that brings together a group of people with so much knowledge, energy and enthusiasm!

Does the Australia-Indonesia relationship have a bright future?

Yes – it has to! The politicisation of some recent issues has been frustrating, to say the least, but the people-to-people relationships are still really strong and they will overcome the hiccups that we have experienced recently.