Australia-Thailand Institute Strategic Plan 2009–2012

The Australia-Thailand Institute (ATI) was established in 2005 to promote bilateral relations with Thailand and to expand institutional and people-to-people links.

Mission statement

To broaden and deepen the relationship between Australia and Thailand and to undertake and support programs that strengthen next generation links between Australia and Thailand.

Functions

The functions of the ATI are to:

1. Provide advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on ways to enhance Australia's political, economic, social and cultural relations with Thailand;
2. Develop an annual Business Plan of activities aimed at implementing the ATI's objectives. The Business Plan will recommend expenditure on those activities from funds allocated to the ATI;
3. Administer a grants program under the priority areas of the Business Plan;
4. Organise visit programs, carry out joint activities with other organisations and leverage with other DFAT Foundations, Councils and Institutes; and
5. Prepare an Annual Program Report by 31 October each year for submission to the Minister.

Accordingly, this Strategic Plan sets out the ATI's goals and strategic programs. The Strategic Plan will be supplemented by a Business Plan for each financial year detailing activities more precisely and recommending expenditures for those activities from the funds allocated to the ATI.

Goals 

In order to promote and strengthen the Australia-Thailand bilateral relationship, the Australia-Thailand Institute will pursue four goals:

1. Contribute to the development of Australia's political and economic relations with Thailand and support Australia's broader diplomatic objectives in Thailand.
2. Broaden awareness and understanding in Australia and Thailand of each other's culture, values and traditions, including sport.
3. Generate increased institutional and people-to-people contacts between Australia and Thailand.
4. Publicly promote the Australia-Thailand relationship and establish relations through media and alumni activities in order to facilitate long-term bilateral links.

Strategies

The Australia-Thailand Institute will adopt the following strategies to meet its goals.

• Create and strengthen networks, contacts, partnerships and/or institutional linkages
• Capitalise on partnerships which increase overall value of activities
• Provide seed funding for activities which will become self-sustaining
• Support activities which have the potential to deliver medium to longer term outcomes, including through institutions, groups or individuals
• Facilitate a broad geographic spread of activities both in Australia and Thailand
• Leverage from high profile events to maximise benefits and the effective use of resources
• Promote complementarities and avoid duplication with other institutions active in Australia-Thailand relations
• Collaborate in programs of mutual interest with other DFAT Asia-focused Foundations, Councils and Institutes

The ATI will conduct a regular review and evaluation of its programs to determine the extent of their impact on the bilateral relationship.

Meetings

The Advisory Board will meet at least three times a year, and at least one of these meetings will consider the Business Plan for the following year.