Dr Rahman Yaacob
Southeast Asian defence and security
![Dr Rahman Yaacob](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/rahman-yacoob-bio.jpg)
Dr Abdul Rahman Yaacob is a Research Fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute. His research interests include Southeast Asia’s defence and security issues and the region’s relations with major powers.
Before joining the Lowy Institute, Rahman completed a PhD at the National Security College, Australian National University. His dissertation examined Singapore’s defence policy and analysed the broader strategic and security issues relating to ASEAN during the Cold War. During his PhD program and with two other project members, Rahman was a lead investigator on a project funded by a grant from the Australian Army Research Centre. The project focused on understanding Southeast Asian security concerns and explored the potential areas for closer defence cooperation between Australia and its northern neighbours. He was also an Academic Staff member and lectured in the ASEAN-Australia Defence Postgraduate Scholarship Program at the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, ANU. From 2020 to 2023, he was a Teaching Fellow at the Australian Command and Staff Course, Australian War College.
Before commencing his PhD program, Rahman served nearly 18 years with the Government of Singapore. He held various command and staff postings in security-related areas and received several awards, including Ministerial Awards for Operational Excellence and a Commendation for the Rejection of Bribe.
![Not in the same boat? Perceptions of the Australia-Philippines security partnership](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-06/20240402ran8535379_0250.jpg?itok=emR8-xTn)
![A code of conduct won’t solve the South China Sea crisis](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-05/GettyImages-2062180924.jpg?itok=6afH0_Rq)
![The fog of measuring military balance in Asia](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-04/3982524.jpg?itok=3jHy_9A3)
![Lawrence Wong’s ascent as Singapore’s 4th generation leader](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2023-11/GettyImages-1257824635.jpg?itok=XwbiadHP)
![The Translator: “ASEAN Centrality”](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-04/ASEAN%20centrality%20comp.jpg?itok=3yr2o-iL)
![Southeast Asia's preferred military exercise partner](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-02/14007564928_878d7606f4_b.jpg?itok=g7vTL-7S)
![ASEAN and the arc of uncertainties](https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/styles/expert_publications/public/2024-01/GettyImages-1179901373.jpg?itok=CCM2jIyg)