COVID-19 has interrupted a learning alliance between Australia and Indonesia that aims to share knowledge and expertise for advancing our common interest in protecting vulnerable rivers and planetary health. This project is designed to establish a next generation of virtual engagements that can sustain productive bilateral collaboration, while replacing the need for extensive international travels between Australia and Indonesia in the coming 2-5 years.
Specifically, we will develop a series of online webinars on a multilingual platform and livestream of community engagements as the first step in formalising our virtual collaboration in this unprecedented time. The webinar and livestream will bring together academics, policymakers, practitioners, civil society, and communities across the two nations to promote science and innovation, while building trust and influence across the regions. It will generate know-hows and pave a way forward that enable future scientific collaboration to thrive in a virtual setting.