A strong middle class is the backbone of Indonesia’s economy. The Indonesian Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, believes that Indonesia’s economy will continue to recover and be safe from recession in 2023. Indonesia’s robust performance indicates that economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic were successful. Middle class consumption has supported Indonesia’s economy for a long time, including during the pandemic.

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In the News

  • For decades, motives for learning Indonesian has been limited to compulsory, if not a narrative of economic opportunity. However, declining enrolments forces us to review Indonesian learning in a different light – should we be looking beyond ‘Asian’ language skills, and learning for a more just and equitable society? (Melbourne Asia Review)
  • Indonesian visa applicants are placed in a higher risk category than smaller ASEAN economies (for example Malaysia and Singapore). This higher threshold will have long term, serious negative repercussions for Australia: we will not be able to maximise the intent of the IA-CEPA, build trust levels between our two countries, or drive social, political, economic and education ties. In light of this, the Indonesia Institute has called for visa reform to manage Indonesian applicants. (Indonesia Institute)
  • Indonesia’s digital banking sector needs coordinated support and data integration. Neo-banks should focus on their attempts to establish low-cost sources of funding. They should engage with small and medium enterprises and improve their features to retain customers, because digital banking has the potential to propel Indonesia’s economy into the future and unlock its full potential. (East Asia Forum)
  • Indonesia’s parliament has passed an emergency regulation on jobs and investment, replacing a wide-ranging October 2020 law that was struck down by the Constitutional Court. The regulation, which intends to make Indonesia a more attractive destination for foreign investment, has been staunchly opposed by unions and environmental groups. (The Diplomat)

Tune In

  • Is your name listed as a voter in the 2024 Indonesian election? How to make sure of it? Chairperson of the Panitia Pemilihan Luar Negeri (PPLN) Sydney, Julie Umboh, spoke to SBS Indonesian on how far the election preparation process has progressed in the jurisdiction of Sydney’s Indonesian Consulate General office that includes NSW, South Australia and Queensland. Listen here.
  • In late February, Joko Widodo’s official social media feed showed him conducting the affairs of state from a small hut set amongst a forest of trees. This was his second overnight stay on the site of the future Presidential Palace in the yet to be built new capital city (Ibu Kota Negara, IKN). Since announcing the move from Jakarta to East Kalimantan in 2019, this has become a pet project for the second term president, which many interpret to be his final legacy before he steps away from the top job in 2024. Dr Jemma Purdey chats to Associate Professor Eka Permanasari, Associate Professor in the field of urban design, architecture and Southeast Asian Studies at Monash Indonesia. Listen here.

Events

  • AIYA Indigenous Engagement Events! The Kumpul Committee was established to connect with and celebrate the Indigenous cultures of both Australia and Indonesia.
    • Interested in joining our First Nations Book Club? Join the WA group here and/or the FB group here to keep up to date.
  • JOIN AIYA ON DISCORD! AIYA would like to cordially invite you to join our Discord, an online group-chatting platform. We will be using Discord a digital hub for AIYA activities including:
    • Games nights – AIYA will be hosting casual and impromptu gatherings on Discord
    • Ngobrol Santai – any AIYA member will be able to join and chat with other members whenever you want.
  • JOIN AIYA FLEX – our online language exchange now moved to Zoom! It is open to anyone with any level of Indonesian and English, and held monthly on the first Sunday of the month at 1pm WIB/4pm AEST. Starting on 4 September, join FLEX here (a recurring link).
  • JOIN AIYA LANGUAGE EXCHANGE (IN-PERSON or ONLINE!) LX is back in multiple locations across Australia. Connect, chill, and converse with like-minded youth, meet new friends and engage in cross-cultural exchange. In-person language exchange is on:
    • ACT: Every Wednesday, 6pm, Marie Reay Building, ANU. Follow @aiya_act on Instagram or Facebook for more info.
    • NSW: Every Thursday, 6:30pm, alternating between in-person and online on Zoom. Follow @aiya_nsw on Instagram or Facebook for more info.
    • VIC: Every Wednesday, 6pm, Gallery Room, Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000. Follow @aiya_victoria on Instagram or Facebook for more info.
    • YOGYA: Biweekly on Mondays, 7pm, Lokio Cafe. Follow @aiya.yogyakarta for more info.
  • Monash University is hosting a seminar about ‘The Indonesian Dream of Studying Abroad: Understanding its Implications for Subjectivity, Political Futures, and the Analysis of Intellectual Exchange’ at the Monash Clayton Campus and on Zoom at 12pm on 31 March. Click here for more information and to register.
  • AIBC NSW is hosting a networking event with The Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia Her Excellency Ms Penny Williams PSM at Austrade in Sydney on 3 April at 5:30pm. Register here.

Opportunities

  • AIYA Victoria is looking for more committee members for their 2023 committee. Apply and find more info here.
  • The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) invites applications for the 2023 John Doherty Asia-Pacific Media Internship program. The program is open for nominations for television, radio or digital media journalists, and applications close 27 March.
  • Inside Indonesia is looking for a reliable volunteer to help with uploading a few articles to the website every couple of weeks. Please send your interest to [email protected]
  • Find out if you are eligible to receive a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant here.
  • CAUSINDY is back and looking for delegates to travel to Yogyakarta on 24-27 May for the conference. Apply here by 28 March.
  • DT Global is looking for an Office Coordinator, based in Aceh, who can be responsible for day-to-day provincial office management, including maintaining excellent working relationships with relevant stakeholders, administrative and logistical services, small-scale procurement and supporting financial administration. Apply here by 28 March.
  • DT Global is looking for a GEDSI Lead will be responsible for developing and delivering PROAKTIF’s GEDSI Strategy and ensuring that GEDSI principles are well integrated into all stages of program planning and implementation. Apply here by 28 March
  • Arkblu Capital is a multi-asset private investment firm primarily focused on the venture capital asset class in Indonesia. They are currently recruiting for an Executive Assistant to support a driven and high performing leadership team in the execution of business projects and strategy on a day-to-day basis. Read more on how to apply here by 31 March.
  • The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is looking for a Senior Program Manager who will be required to undertake work that is complex in nature and to work under limited direction, with the opportunity for reasonable autonomy and accountability. Apply here by 31 March.
  • International Internships is looking for university students wanting to intern in Indonesia. Apply here by 2 April.
  • Kolaborasi Pengetahuan dan Inovasi Australia Indonesia (KONEKSI) is calling for expressions of interest for the Australia-Indonesia Research Collaboration Grants 2023. Apply here.
  • Asia Education Foundation is looking for students to participate in a 3-week virtual Indonesian Language learning program for 44 x Year 9 students in Victorian schools. Express your interest here.
  • Darmasiswa, a scholarship program from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture is receiving applications from foreign nationals aged 18-27. See the requirements here. Apply by 7 April.
  • The 2023 Australian Alumni Awards is the most distinguished honours given to alumni who have demonstrated achievements at a local, national or international level. As part of the 70th Anniversary of Australian Scholarships in Indonesia, we invite nominees and nominators to submit your nominees to celebrate and honour Indonesian alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their profession, community and country through exemplary leadership, integrity, and hard work. Applications close 9 April.
  • Indonesia Australia Language Foundation (IALF) is looking for AEF Program Manager to provide support on its international programs. More info here.
  • The Australian Awards Scholarship applications are now open. Apply here.
  • The Jakarta Bintangs is an Australian Football Club with membership open to women, men and children of all nationalities, ages and ability. Beginners are most welcome. The club organizes games throughout the year. Most games are played in Jakarta, with occasional games across Indonesia and overseas. Tours are planned to Bali, Batam, Vietnam and Thailand this year. Trainings are held mostly held at Lapangan Bola Aldiron in Jakarta on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. On occasion, trainings are also held Thursday nights in the GBK complex.To keep up to date with training schedule follow them on Instagram @jakartabintangs, or contact Han on 081119337855. For more information click here.
  • Would you like to travel, intern and make lifelong friends in Indonesia for free? Value Learning is sending out an Expression of Interest for the Australian Indonesia Youth Exchange Program. Register here.
  • USYD is looking for a Communications and Events officer responsible for producing all communications and marketing material in consultation with the Director and Deputy Director, managing our social media presence and website, coordinating, and promoting all events and activities, and liaising with other professional service units as required to fulfil these tasks. Apply here.
  • Mosaic Connections is looking for a Communications Manager to lead with planning and developing social media campaigns. Apply here.
  • The Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program will establish 10 new school partnerships between Australian and Indonesian schools. This will include 10 Australian schools and 10 schools from across Indonesia, including schools, madrasahs and pesantren from primary (SD/MI) and secondary levels (SMP/MTs, SMA/MA/SMK). Find the application form for Indonesian schools/madrasahs here and the form for Australian schools here.
  • The John Legge Prize is one of seven prize/grant schemes offered by the Asian Studies Association of Australia. This prize recognizes cutting edge research performed by postgraduates across our broad field of research. Applications for the 2023 John Legge Prize for the Best Thesis in Asian Studies in 2022 are now open until Friday 28 April.
  • The Australia Awards Scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders to obtain a Masters or PhD from an Australian tertiary institution. The Scholarships have been an important component of the Australian Government’s aid program in Indonesia since 1953. Through study, research and networking, scholarship recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia. Applications for these scholarships are open now until the 1st of May.
  • Register now to take part in the 17th Indonesian Film Festival Short Film Competition. The theme for the Competition is “Magnum Opus”.
  • The Australia-Indonesia Centre is launching its online Talent Accelerator Program (TAP), aimed at increasing the impact and leadership of early career researchers across Indonesia and Australia. Apply here.
  • Do you have a great Indonesia-Australia business development idea that needs connecting and support? Submit your ideas to Katalis through its business portal here. Proposals can be submitted all year, and will be subject to approval from the governments of Indonesia and Australia.
  • Bukalapak, an Indonesian-based tech unicorn with over 100 million users, 2 thousand plus employees, and a brand new office opening right here in Melbourne! They are looking for multiple positions in Jakarta, Sydney and Melbourne. Apply here.
  • DFAT has established the Emerging Markets Impact Investment Fund (EMIIF) which seeks to support development ideas across the Indo-Pacific region. If you have a bright development idea consider applying for support here. 
  • DT Global (KIAT) is opening various employment opportunities and current tenders. Find out more here. KIAT works with its government partners across Indonesia to deliver a range of large and small projects to improve access to infrastructure for all Indonesians.
  • Australian Volunteers is temporarily suspending overseas placements but are continuing to support partner organisations through remote volunteering. If you’re interested in volunteering in-country then check-out a range of opportunities here.
  • The Australian Government is receiving applications for the Working Holiday Maker program that allows young adults to have a 12 month holiday, during which they can undertake short-term work and study. More info here.
  • The Australian National University is offering a course on introduction to Indonesia’s economy and policy environment. This is a chance to learn from world experts on the Indonesian economy in a two-day intensive course. More info here.
  • Inside Indonesia publishes original pieces on a wide range of political, social, environmental, and cultural issues in Indonesia. They accept articles from people who have an interest in Indonesia. To find out how to contribute, click here.
  • Career Insights: Graduate Programs in International Affairs In this article, YAIA has pulled together a curated list of graduate programs with an international focus, across federal Government departments and agencies, state and territory governments, and the private sector, that are available to apply for in 2023. Find out more here.

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