Australia Awards

Referee Report
The applicant has named you as a referee in support of an application for an Australia Awards Scholarship
supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for study in Australia. To assist in the selection
process, we would like to receive your views on the applicant’s suitability for a Scholarship, in particular on their
capabilities and personal qualities, academic competence (including, where applicable, their research ability) and
potential outcomes.

1. Personal details

Applicant’s details

Full name (as it appears in

Jaime Francisco Caetano Nunes Simith
passport)

Email jaimesimith96@gmail.com

Area of research interest Civil Engineering specializes in Structural Engineering

Referee’s details

Family name Mariana Takeleb

Given names Aderita

Mobile no. +67074674129 Work phone no.

Email aderitamariana@gmail.com

Employing organisation Name Dili Institute of Technology (DIT)

Town/City, Country Dili, Timor-Leste

Position title Pro-Rector of Academic Starting date: 17 / 02 / 2023

Length of time you have Less than 3–12

1–2 years 2–5 years ✘ More than 5 years
known applicant 3 months months
Relationship to applicant (e.g.
direct supervisor, lecturer, Lecturer
peer, etc)

Authorised official stamp of

the organisation.
 2. Evaluation of applicant’s capabilities and behaviors

Please evaluate the applicant against the following criteria*

Very good Satisfactory Needs coaching Not observed

Shapes strategic thinking (meaning that they:

inspire a sense of purpose and direction; focus
strategically; harness information and ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐
opportunities; and show judgement, intelligence
and commonsense)

Achieves results (meaning that they: build

organisation capability and responsiveness;
marshal professional expertise; steer and ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐
implement change and deal with uncertainty;
ensure closure and deliver on intended results)

Cultivates productive working relationships

(meaning that they: nurture internal and external
relationships; facilitate cooperation and ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐
partnerships; value individual differences and
diversity; and guide, mentor and develop people)

Displays personal drive and integrity (meaning that

they: demonstrate professionalism and probity;
commit to action; display resilience; promote and
☒ ☐ ☐ ☐
adopt a positive and balanced approach to work;
and demonstrate self-awareness and a
commitment to personal development)

Communicates and negotiates effectively

(meaning that they: communicate clearly; listen,
☐ ☒ ☐ ☐
understand, and adapts to audience; and
negotiates persuasively)

* Extract from the Australian Public Service Commission’s ‘The integrated leadership system – support tools – Leadership
pathway: Individual profiles’
3. Comments regarding the applicant’s personal and professional capacities

1. Please list up to five key technical or personal skills that the applicant has demonstrated under your supervision. Please provide
examples of their use.

It is my pleasure to recommend Jaime Simith's application for the Australia Awards scholarship. I was his lecturer at the Dili Institute
of Technology (DIT) in Civil Engineering Department. I have known him for 7 years. During his study at DIT Jaime was a student who
was smart and exemplary, motivated and creative, helpful to his peers, and had good English Language skills.

He was smart and exemplary for other students as shown by his achievements during his study at DIT such as the best student of the
year in Civil Engineering Department for the year 2018 and the highest achieving student in Civil Engineering for the 2nd period 2019
graduation. In addition, he was an extremely motivated and creative student because of his desire to look for new references and
journals as well as working extra hard when given a project assignment by his lecturers.

Jaime was always helpful to his fellow students in my observation by tutoring them when they found difficulties learning a lesson.
Because he is a fast learner, he always helps his peers by teaching them extra lessons after class to help them understand better
and not fail classes. Jaime also has very good English language skills which are quite proven through his final year project written in
English and DIT also has intensive English courses in the first year and he earns good grades.

2. What are the areas that the applicant needs to improve?

I have known Jaime from his time at university until we became colleagues working on several projects in the last 4 years. There are
two soft skills that he needs to improve which are his communication and time management skills. Jaime has a weakness in carrying
out several tasks by himself without asking his colleagues for support even though the work is overloaded. Another area is his time
management skills, Jaime has difficulties prioritizing tasks based on importance as well as completing his tasks near the timeline
even though the time given is more than enough which tends to create errors.

3. How do you believe that the applicant could contribute to the development challenges in your sector after returning from studies in
Australia? Do you think that the applicant has the potential to be a leader who drives change?

I believe Jaime has the intelligence and leadership potential to contribute to the development of Timor-Leste. The country is still in the
development stage with much-needed infrastructure such as access roads, airports, and sea ports as well as high-rise buildings for
public facilities and commercial purposes to boost socioeconomic aspects for the population of Timor Leste. When he returns to his
home country with his advanced skills in Civil Engineering after studying in Australia, he will have the necessary skills in Structural
and Geotechnical Engineering for the construction of roads in mountainous areas prone to landslides that have been the main issue
in road construction in Timor-Leste. Furthermore, he will have the knowledge and skills for the prevention and mitigation of flooding
as well as designing and constructing high-rise buildings that can resist earthquakes and heavy winds.

I think Jaime has the potential to be an influential leader in the future with his adaptability and positive attitude. He is a person who is
adaptable to changing circumstances and open to new ideas such as taking feedback from other people differs from his thoughts. In
addition, Jaime always maintains an optimistic attitude in facing challenges and motivates his peers or colleagues to complete tasks
during difficult times.

Therefore, I strongly encourage you to consider Jaime for this Australia Awards scholarship. Please contact me with any questions
and let me know if I can provide any additional information in support of this deserving applicant.
 4. Academic referee comments – applicable to PhD candidates only

In the past five years, how many research higher degree (PhD, Masters) candidates have you worked with? N/A

Your professional knowledge of the applicant is: Very detailed Very good Good Incomplete

Score the following criteria out of 10 (A score of 10 means that you regard the applicant as being in the top
2% of all candidates in each assessment category. A score of 9 indicates that the applicant is in the top 5%
of all candidates. A score of 8 - top 10%; score of 7 - top 20%; score of 6 - top 30%; score of 5 - top Score
40%; score of 4 - upper 50%; score of 3 - upper 60%; score of 2 - upper 70%; score of 1 - bottom 30%)

(a) Research potential: intrinsic research potential (as distinct from examination results). N/A

(b) Creative Ability: ability to develop original ideas/hypotheses, to write original N/A
compositions or to assemble conventional work in some original way

(c) Initiative: ability to embark on new ideas or approaches without prompting N/A

(d) Perseverance: ability to work steadily even in difficult circumstances or where motivation N/A
or external direction is minimal.

(e) Critical thinking: ability to differentiate between sound and irrationally based thinking N/A

(f) Teamwork: ability to work in a research group N/A

(g) Ability to Communicate: both written and spoken N/A

Please comment on evidence of the applicant’s research potential and achievement (such as the outcomes of their research
experience and training, including university studies, publications, papers, and other relevant work) and any other comments
relevant to the applicant’s admission to a PhD (maximum 300 words).

N/A

5. Referee’s declaration and signature

I declare that the information in this report is true and correct.

Best Regards,

Date: 2 6 / 03 / 2024

Aderita Mariana Takeleb, PhD

Thank you for assisting the Australian Government in identifying an outstanding candidate for an Australia Awards
Scholarship.