Three Decades of ACICIS Celebrated in New Book Highlighting Australia’s Indonesia Connection – At a time when Australia is once again debating how to strengthen its engagement with Asia, the launch of a new book celebrating three decades of the Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) provides a timely reminder that some of the country’s most effective diplomacy happens not in government buildings, but in classrooms, communities and everyday human connections.
[The Koala]

In the News:

  • Biaya Visa Australia Naik hingga 3 Kali Lipat per Juli 2026, Ini Rinciannya – Biaya visa Australia mengalami kenaikan mulai Rabu (1/7/2026). Aturan ini berlaku untuk semua jenis visa dengan tarif bervariasi, bahkan ada yang naik hingga tiga kali lipat. [Kompas.com]
  • Indonesia Denies State-Decreed LGBTQ Discrimination: What’s the Truth? – While the Indonesian government designated the spread of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) culture as a “non-military threat” under Presidential Regulation 111/2025, the government denied that it is aimed to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals. [Tempo English]
  • India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto sealed a major defense deal on Tuesday, allowing Jakarta to acquire the Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. [ABC News]
  • Young Indonesians fear for future after startup founder jailed – Indonesia’s booming technology and creative industries have inspired a new generation of young talent eager to help shape the country’s future. But last week’s 10-year prison sentence for tech entrepreneur Nadiem Makarim in a corruption case has left some questioning whether their efforts to create change will be supported or punished. [ABC News]
  • Indonesia Pushes for Stronger Food Cooperation with Australia – Indonesia is pushing for a strengthened cooperation with Australia in the food and infrastructure sectors through the Indonesia–Australia Business Summit (IABS) for Indonesia Updates 2026. This meeting was part of the efforts to bolster strategic economic partnerships between both countries while offering investments in priority sectors. [Tempo.co]
  • Australia to ditch paper arrival cards for incoming travellers – The Albanese government has announced it will roll out digital passenger cards to all Australian international airports and seaports after a “successful” trial on Qantas flights into Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. [The Guardian]
  • Vibes Music Australia has announced a major expansion across Southeast Asia following a successful regional visit by its Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Artist & Repertoire (A&R), Gerard Lasantha (Lopez), to Thailand and Cambodia, while strengthening the company’s existing investment in Indonesia. [EIN Presswire]

Events:

  • Be Your Own Detective: Movie & Mystery Games 🐑🔍 Join AIYA SA × Arab Club for an exciting and interactive movie experience where you step into the role of a detective! 🎬 Hosted Saturday 25 July at Adelaide Uni. Find out more here.
  • Join AIYA SulSel on Saturday 25 July for AIYA Networking Night: A night to connect, exchange ideas, and sprak meaningful conversations. Find out more here.
  • BBTS UWA x AAYA x AIYA present… “Pearls x Professionals: Careers in Asia Expo”!! On Thursday 30 July at UWA. Find out more here.
  • Join us to celebrate Experiencing Indonesia: 30 years of ACICIS Book Launch! This event will feature Kirrilee Hughes, Kate Naidu, and David Reeve in conversation with Dr Natali Pearson. Save the date: Wednesday 12 August 2026, 5.30-7.30pm at Level 24, 123 Pitt St, Sidney. For more information and registration click here.
  • AIYA ACT – Come and try playing Javanese Gamelan with AIYA ACT and ANUISA every Monday, @5.30pm in Room 630, Level 6 of the Llewellyn Hall at ANU.
  • 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. Make sure to follow your local chapter on Instagram for updates on the next LX event near you!
    • VIC – every Wednesday at 6-7pm, Kathleen Syme Library–Activity Room 2.
    • NSW – every Thursday at 6.30pm, Darling Square.
  • AIYA FLEX! – our online language exchange is open to anyone with any level of Indonesian and English! It is held monthly on Sunday at 3pm WIB/ 7pm AEDT. Join FLEX here.
  • ANU Indonesia Project – We are delighted to announce that registration is now open for the 43rd Indonesia Update, ‘Islamic diversity in Indonesia’, to be held on 18-19 September 2026 at The Australian National University. More Info here.

Tune In:

  • Tarsius adalah satwa eksotik dari Sulawesi, yang ukurannya sangat kecil dan disebut sebagai primata paling kecil di dunia. Ukurannya kira-kira sebesar mouse atau tetikus yang biasa digunakan di komputer. Satwa ini adalah satwa endemik di Sulawesi. Tarsius memakan serangga dan dianggap penting dalam ekosistem, karena itulah banyak pihak berusaha untuk melestarikannya. Salah satunya adalah Yayasan Tarsius Celebes Indonesia. Dengarkan lebih lanjut terkait peran penting Tarsius dalam ekosistem oleh Taufik Dhani selaku Ketua yayasan Tarsius Celebes Indonesia.
  • Di antara beragam profesi yang ditekuni diaspora Indonesia di Australia, Belinda Hadiwidjaja memilih jalur yang unik: menjadi pelatih dan penghibur sepatu roda profesional. Melalui bisnisnya, Princess on Skates, perempuan asal Jakarta ini menyelenggarakan kelas sepatu roda untuk anak-anak dan orang dewasa, mengisi acara pesta ulang tahun dengan kostum karakter fiksi, dan menggelar roller disco di Melbourne. Dengarkan lebih lanjut kisah Belinda melalui SBS Bahasa Indonesia.

Opportunities:

AIYA is now in partnership: AIYA x Cinta Bahasa! 🎉🤝
All AIYA members can now enjoy 15% off Cinta Bahasa’s online or in-person Indonesian language classes! To register, simply log in to your AIYA membership dashboard > Resource Center > Cinta Bahasa.

  • NAILA 2026 is now open for submission! Ready to put your Indonesian language skills to the test? Join the competition, showcase your talent, and compete for exciting prizes! Deadline: 30 July 2026. Register yourself here!
  • The Global Scholars Club is a new community helping underrepresented young people access international opportunities by sharing real stories, free resources, and practical insights from past scholars. We publish reflections and guides on our Substack – you can check it out here.
    The founder, Billy Blackett, is particularly passionate about Indonesia, having participated in the Australian Indonesian Youth Exchange Program. He shares regular updates on opportunities and reflections via LinkedIn, and is always happy to field questions or provide application support as a Rhodes Scholar and alumnus of NCP and AIYEP. Connect with Billy for more insight!
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is looking for several positions to fill with various closing dates. Click here for more information!
  • The Australian Volunteers Program matches skilled Australians with partner organisations across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to support them to achieve their own development goals. If you’re interested in volunteering check-out a range of opportunities here!!
  • Indo Beyond Borders (IBB) is an Indonesian tutoring service, where language learning goes beyond the textbook. Join IBB and embark on an immersive learning experience that’s as dynamic and vibrant as Indonesia itself. Here to check more information
  • The Jakarta Bintangs is an Australian Football Club with membership open to anyone, beginners are most welcome. The club organizes games throughout the year, mostly in Jakarta, with occasional games across Indonesia and overseas. Tours are planned to Bali, Batam, Vietnam and Thailand this year. Training is mostly held at Lapangan Bola Aldiron in Jakarta on Saturday/ Sunday afternoons. On occasion, training sessions are also held Thursday nights in the GBK complex. To keep up to date with the training schedule follow them on Instagram @jakartabintangs. For more information click 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 Indonesia Project is offering a number of grants and fellowships. Find out more about the opportunities such as Collaborative Research Grants, and Visiting Fellow Grants.
  • The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) helps grow Australia’s prosperity by delivering quality trade and investment services to businesses, accelerates growth in Australia’s tourism sector and promotes Australia’s education to the world. Find a list of available vacancies here.