In the race for a sustainable alternative to plastic, Indonesia bets on seaweed as companies are making a range of things, from edible cups, to shopping bags, to food containers.

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In the news

  • COVID-19 has put a massive strain on Indonesia’s healthcare system, with reports of inadequate medical supplies and deaths of hospital workers as patient numbers continue to surge. This is a worrying trend for the nation, as this Jakarta Post article explains. (The Jakarta Post)
  • The Australian government recently endorsed stricter social distancing measures to tackle the spread of the COVID-19. The current modelling shows that the government is getting the balance right if your aim is to flatten the curve. But what does this mean? Tony Blakely explains. (The Conversation)
  • A supervolcano eruption 74,000 years ago wasn’t enough to stop humanity in its tracks, artifacts at a paleolithic site in central India suggest. The study is the latest strike against a hotly debated proposal that suggests the eruption of Indonesia’s toba supervolcano had a huge influence on human evolution. (arsTECHNICA)
  • Looking for what to do when you are self-isolating at home? Binge-watched everything on your list? Four Lifelike Picture films are coming to Netflix this month. Soon you will be able to watch Pintu Terlarang (2009), Modus Anomali (2012), Tabula Rasa (2014) and Banda: The Dark Forgotten Trail (2017). Check it out here. (The Jakarta Post)
  • Soccer-mad Indonesia embraces women’s game with launch of national league, but female fans still face a fight for acceptance. The development in Indonesia has since seen significant progress, but there is still much to be done as this SCMP article discusses. (South China Morning Post)

 

In the blog

  • Indonesia’s warming relations with Australia faced new challenges this week as the COVID-19 outbreak forced Jakarta to further restrict entry and Canberra to close down its borders, putting many lucrative partnership projects on hold while the two governments scramble to ensure the safety of their citizens. Read more here.

 

Events

Has self-isolation put a stop on your Bahasa Indonesia practice? Fear not! AIYA LX is back in its new, COVID-19 friendly form. AIYA and UniBRIDGE have brought you online AIYA LX. Open to all members, there is no pre-registration, all you have to do is turn up. All levels will be catered for. There is not long to wait, as the first LX will start Monday.

#dirumahsaja menyusahkan anda belajar bahasa Inggris? Jangan takut! AIYA LX balik lagi dalam versi yang aman dari COVID-19. AIYA and UniBRIDGE akan membawa online AIYA LX. Terbuka untuk semua member, tidak perlu untuk registrasi, anda hanya harus klik dan online. Semua level akan dilayani. Tidak harus menunggu lama, LX pertama akan mulai hari senin!

Before (Sebelum) 5 April 2020

  1. Sunday (Minggu) 1:00pm WIB/ 5:00pm AEDT
  2. Wednesday (Rabu) 2:00pm WIB/6:00 AEDT
  3. Thursday (Kamis) 5:00pm WIB/ 9:00pm AEDT

 

After 5 April 2020

  1. Sunday (Minggu) 1:00pm WIB/ 4:00pm AEST
  2. Wednesday (Rabu) 4:00pm WIB/ 7:00pm AEST
  3. Thursday (Kamis) 7:00pm WIB/10:00pm AEST

 See you all there! Sampai jumpa disana!

 

AIYA event guide during COVID-19 outbreak

Based on guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as taking into

consideration recommendations from the Australian and Indonesian Governments:

all AIYA events will be postponed until further notice.

 

Opportunities

Please double-check the availability of the opportunities advertised, as many will be cancelled as a result of COVID-19. 

 

  • Applications for the new Hamer Scholarships Program will open until 29 March 2020. The program has been revamped with a sharpened business focus and offers Victorians working in Victorian businesses the opportunity to undertake 5-6 months of intensive language study in China, Japan, Korea or Indonesia while delivering an in-market business project. Scholarships are worth $10,000 for China and Indonesia and $15,000 for Japan and Korea. Eligibility criteria and the new program guidelines can be found here.           Please note the Victorian government will continue to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak and will provide advice as appropriate to successful applicants.
  • Do you want to be a leader in your field and join an inspiring network of changemakers? Apply today for the Australia Awards Postgraduate Scholarships (open to Indonesian nationals) and gain a world-class education and become a leader for development. Applications close on 30 April 2020. 
  • ACICIS is inviting all of its alumni to join the all-new alumni platform. It is packed with new features such as alumni directory, jobs and opportunities page, events page, interest-group pages, as well as other exciting features that will be added regularly. To sign-up, please visit their alumni website here.
  • Inside Indonesia publishes original pieces on a wide range of political, social, environmental and cultural issues in Indonesia. They accept articles from a diverse range of people who have an interest in Indonesia. To find out how to contribute, click here

 

 

 

Like what we do? Want to join or support your local chapter to contribute to our exciting activities? Sign up as an AIYA member today!