Fe Fikran brings international law and counter-terrorism expertise back to ANU

Online radicalisation is reshaping how governments across the Asia-Pacific think about security. For Fe Fikran, it is also the focus of his career and the reason he recently returned to ANU.

Fe Fikran, alumnus of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, completed his Master of International Law and Diplomacy in 2025 before returning to Canberra as project lead of an Australian Awards Alumni Grants initiative.

The initiative culminated in a workshop themed 'Empowering Young Leaders for a Safe, Inclusive, and Resilient Digital Space', held at ANU under the title Australia-Indonesia Youth Workshop on Digital Literacy and Countering Online Radicalisation. Funded by the Australian Alumni Grant and administered by the Australia Awards in Indonesia, the workshop brought together students, young leaders, academics and practitioners from both countries to discuss digital literacy, online safety and the risks posed by online radicalisation and harmful digital narratives.

Young people are among the most active users of digital platforms, and also among the most exposed to misinformation, hate speech and harmful online narratives. As close neighbours and strategic partners, Indonesia and Australia have both committed to strengthening youth engagement and people-to-people cooperation to address these challenges.

Fe Fikran now works as a Bilateral Cooperation Analyst at Indonesia's National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT), a role that draws directly on the international law, diplomacy and regional security expertise he developed at the Coral Bell School. The Master of International Law and Diplomacy equipped him with the analytical and policy frameworks to work at the intersection of law, security and bilateral cooperation.

It was rewarding to connect the international law, diplomacy, and regional cooperation perspectives I developed during my master's degree with practical efforts to address transnational challenges and strengthen Australia's partnership with Indonesia across the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Returning to lead an initiative at the university where he studied also carried personal significance.

On a personal level, the experience felt like coming full circle. ANU gave me the knowledge, network, and confidence to grow professionally. Returning to Canberra to lead an initiative hosted at the university reminded me that the value of education extends far beyond graduation.

The Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, congratulates Fe Fikran on this milestone and wishes him well as he continues to contribute to the Australia-Indonesia partnership. Prospective students interested in international law, diplomacy or regional security can learn more about the Master of International Law and Diplomacy here.