In January and February 2020, ACICIS was delighted to welcome a total of 51 students from 11 universities in Australia and one private applicant from the United States for Sessions 1 and 2 of ACICIS’ Indonesian Language Short Course (ILSC). Of the 51 students, 36 were supported by the New Colombo Plan Mobility Funding and three students were supported by the New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program. Supported by the ILSC Program Assistant, Bening Anisa, ACICIS Resident Director, Dr Adrian Budiman, and other ACICIS support staff, the students spent three to six weeks in Indonesia learning the language intensively. ACICIS partnered with the Language Training Centre of Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (UKSW) in Salatiga as the host university for this program.
On the day of arrival, the students attended the first day of orientation in Yogyakarta and then traveled to Salatiga to continue for a second day of orientation hosted by UKSW. The orientation sessions covered Indonesian culture, health, security and academic matters. On the final afternoon of orientation, the students settled into their accommodation before commencing their classes the following day.
The Language Training Centre at UKSW facilitated immersive learning for the students through intensive language classes, providing opportunities for all students to put their language skills to the test by interacting with Indonesian culture, social issues, and through engaging with members of the local community.
The intensive language classes were held Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm. The students in each language level participated in three local visits and conducted interviews during the three-week course. The topics varied depending on the student’s language level and academic background. Level 1 students visited a local traditional market; level 2 students visited toko jamu (a traditional herbal drink shop); level 3 students visited Salatiga City Park and did an interview with angkot drivers; level 4 students interviewed staff at the UKSW International Office; and level 5 and level 6 students visited Klenteng Hok Tiek Bio. Students also joined a seminar about traditional ceremonies.
Students are able to take optional cultural classes activities such as gamelan classes, batik making, pencak silat, and cooking classes. These were available for the students to take after regular classes. At the weekends, students had some spare time to explore the city and surrounding areas including temples, waterfalls, mountains, lakes, and travelled to nearby cities such as Yogyakarta, Semarang, and Solo.
In the middle of the program, LTC also invited the students to visit a local school in Salatiga to give a presentation on various topics about their home country, play some games, and share their experience studying in Indonesia through a program called Salatiga Meets the World. Students in session 1 went to Salatiga 02 Primary School while students in session 2 went to Blotongan 2 Primary School.
During the program, ACICIS held a check point meeting with the students to update them on academic, health and pastoral care matters and to invited students’ feedback on the program. Students discussed the challenges they overcame during their study abroad experience and provided feedback useful to future iterations of the course.
On the final day of the program, the students delivered a presentation in Indonesian on a topic of their own choosing. The presentation took place in front of their classmates, UKSW faculty members, and ACICIS staff. Students in session 2 also did a cultural project by holding an Indonesian Engagement Simulation. Following the presentations, the students were invited to a farewell lunch to wrap up the Indonesian Language Short Course.
Finally, ACICIS would like to congratulate all of the students! We wish the best of luck in your future endeavours and beyond. Terima kasih dan sampai jumpa lagi!!
