Dr Elena Wiliams

Dr Elena Williams is a higher education researcher and practitioner, specialising in Australia-Indonesia learning abroad. In 2025 she gained her PhD from The Australian National University, examining the impact of the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan on Australia-Indonesia relationship-building. In 2024 Elena was appointed to DFAT’s New Colombo Plan External Advisory Group, and was a delegate in the ASEAN-Australia Emerging Leaders’ Dialogue. Elena regularly advises and speaks with government, academic, industry and media audiences, and in 2022 was awarded ANU’s Sir Raymond Firth Research Prize in recognition of her research on Australia-Indonesia relations.  Elena is a current selection panel member for the Australia Awards Indonesia and New Colombo Plan scholarships, a board member with DFAT’s Australia-Indonesia Institute, the ANU Indonesia Institute, and Acicis Study Indonesia’s National Reference Group. She currently serves as Australia Awards Indonesia’s Public Diplomacy and Partnerships Advisor in Jakarta, and as a Research Fellow with Deakin University.