Sheeren Yolanda – People Data & Decision Innovation Team Lead

The Australia Awards in Indonesia (AAI) is the longest-running foreign scholarship program in Indonesia. For over seventy years, Australia has partnered with Indonesia to invest in human capital development, respond to social and economic development priorities, and create and maintain enduring ties between Australia and Indonesia.

Finding the “Alumni Attribute” in the Australia Awards Scholarship applicants—a trait that denotes leadership and agent of change potential—is a major challenge it tackles. Acknowledging the critical role this quality plays, AAI is actively looking for novel methods to solve this problem and keep its scholarship program running effectively.

Identifying the “Agent of Change” Attribute

• The ‘Alumni Attribute’ is vital in selecting the Australia Awards Scholarship recipients, as it indicates applicants’ potential for academic excellence, driving changes, and strengthening Australia-Indonesia ties. Neglecting this attribute risks undermining AAI’s core goals. 

The “Alumni Attribute” is the cornerstone of the Australia Awards Scholarships’ selection procedure; it denotes a special quality in scholarship applicants that indicates their potential to succeed academically and, more importantly, to become change agents, improving ties between Australia and Indonesia and making a major contribution to the growth and development of both countries. Determining and fostering these qualities is crucial to the program’s long-term success and its ability to support Indonesia’s development. Inaction on this issue might jeopardize the core goals of AAI, which are to develop ties between the two countries and empower Indonesia’s future leaders.

ASTRNT is intended to help detect the “Alumni Attribute” in scholarship applicants by creating a thorough evaluation process for AAI. ASTRNT will play a key role in improving the Australia Awards Scholarships’ selection procedure by using its vast experience in talent evaluation, guaranteeing that the most qualified applicants can promote good change in Indonesia. By working together, AAI and ASTRNT hope to help Indonesian scholars reach their greatest potential and uphold the program’s stellar reputation for innovation and change.

ASTRNT’s Expertise in Assessment Consultancy

• ASTRNT, known for its expertise in talent assessment, tailors assessment methodologies for the Australia Awards Scholarship applicants, utilizing interviews and psychometric tests to identify leadership potential

ASTRNT is known for its proficiency in talent assessment and has a history of effectively supporting businesses in a range of sectors. The People Data & Decision Innovation Team, under my direction, is known for its proficiency in assessment methodologies and content development. My team’s extensive experience in assessment design has been instrumental in customizing solutions to meet the specific requirements of companies, aiding in the selection and cultivation of exceptional talent.

When evaluating the “Alumni Attributes” parameters for scholarship recipients, ASTRNT uses a comprehensive analysis and a well-established approach. The qualitative data analysis approach through in-depth interviews is particularly significant, allowing ASTRNT to fully comprehend the “Alumni Attributes” sought by AAI. This approach unfolded AAI’s challenges and objectives in developing their alumni, and pasts in great detail to find the special traits that point to their potential as future leaders and Agents of Change.

ASTRNT is adept at developing tailored assessment methodologies and tools specifically suited to meet the unique requirements of the AAI program. These include the implementation of Competency-Based Structured Interviews that feature both main and probing questions, meticulously crafted to unveil applicants’ leadership and Agent of Change potential. In addition, ASTRNT makes use of psychometric tests, utilizing the TDL Cognitive Test and Personality Questionnaire, to offer valuable insights into candidates’ cognitive abilities and personality traits, which are also related to the attributes of Agent of Change.

The proven competence of ASTRNT in the world of assessment has constantly helped a variety of organizations. For example, ASTRNT’s technology accelerated admission processes for prestigious educational institutions such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), increasing their capability to discover and foster bright student leaders through holistic assessment and, as a result, causing a more dynamic and accurate enrollment of students. ASTRNT’s significant knowledge and expertise are well recognized for effectively assisting companies in meeting their recruiting and talent development ambitions.

Scientific Approach to Scholarship Assessment

• ASTRNT uses a scientific approach to enhance the Australia Awards Scholarships’ selection process for discovering future leaders and change agents.

A scientific approach is essential in scholarly assessments for developing and evaluating assessment methodologies and instruments. This method assures that selection criteria are based on empirical facts, which improves fairness, validity, and reliability. ASTRNT places importance on scientific accuracy. We perform validation research, coordinated by myself, to analyze the effectiveness of AAI’s new selection criteria and tools by administering assessments to the Australia Awards Scholarship applicants, acquiring significant insights into their skills to identify the “Agent of Change.”

In addition, we perform an in-depth analysis of recent research. This thorough procedure, which I and the highly qualified ASTRNT team observe, serves to confirm the success of our chosen processes and tools. We guarantee that our assessment approaches correspond to the highest standards by conducting a thorough analysis of peer-reviewed literature and drawing on our significant expertise in educational environments. 

ASTRNT’s dedication to science is reinforced by our access to peer-reviewed research and our experience helping educational institutions in their admission processes. These partnerships give essential insights and data-driven techniques, boosting the Australia Awards Scholarships’ selection process to new altitudes in its goal of discovering future leaders and change agents.

The Impact of ASTRNT’s Approach

• ASTRNT’s effective assessment methodologies for AAI identify change agents and leaders, offering adaptable talent solutions for diverse industries.

The “Alumni Attribute” assessment methodologies and tools used by ASTRNT at AAI have shown to be effective. Potential change agents and future leaders have been discovered thanks to their data-driven tools and rigorous scientific methodology.  AAI is becoming more confident in taking these change agents through the development program among the recently chosen scholarship recipients.

Although there may be differences in assessing the project’s overall impact, ASTRNT’s methodology brought fresh perspectives and standards that enhanced the selection process and made it more inclusive and comprehensive. This creative strategy has demonstrated the program’s transformational potential. Beyond scholarship programs, ASTRNT’s assessment expertise offers businesses an adaptable approach to selecting and developing talent in a variety of industries, fostering overall talent growth and performance.

If you’re looking to streamline your admission process or how to do online certification, I highly suggest trying ASTRNT. You can visit https://pwrdby.astrnt.co/ to learn more about us. 

More questions? Connect with me on LinkedIn

In memory of Dr Amanda Schiller, Partnerships and Linkages Adviser at the Australia Awards in Indonesia.  

About the Author

Sheeren Yolanda is the Head of People Data & Decision Innovation Team Lead at ASTRNT, with over 10 years of professional expertise in the field of psychometrics, assessment center methodologies, competency development, and the utilization of advanced assessment and recruitment technologies.