The ACICIS Law Professional Practicum (LPP) resumed its in-country delivery in January-February 2023, with the support of the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.
Launched in 2018, ACICIS’ Law Professional Practicum Program is a six-week study program, undertaken in Jakarta prior to the commencement of the Australian academic calendar year (January – February).
The program, hosted by Atma Jaya Catholic University will consist of an initial two weeks of intensive Indonesian language instruction and English language lectures by local legal practitioners and experts in the field of law, followed by a four-week supervised practicum placement with a local or international legal firm, government authority or non-government organisation (NGO). The program will be designed to cater for students with no existing Indonesian language skills. Candidates with existing language skills will, however, be welcome.
Indonesia’s legal system is characterised by complexity and a remarkable level of pluralism. Within the nation there are multiple and overlapping bodies of law including colonial, national, Islamic, and customary law, that apply to particular groups and govern particular realms of social, cultural, and economic activity in Indonesia. With Indonesia and Australia sharing extensive maritime boundaries, matters of international law, national sovereignty, security and transnational law-enforcement remain prevalent issues within the Australia-Indonesia bilateral relationship. Moreover, with increasingly important commercial, trade and tourism links between Australia and Indonesia, understanding the legal system of Australia’s northern neighbour has never been more important. On ACICIS’ Law Professional Practicum students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of and experience the uniqueness of the Indonesian legal system and to add an international perspective to their degree.
The professional practicum placement will involve Australian students collaborating with Indonesian peers and legal practitioners to gain experience within the legal profession, and to develop their professional skills, while building their networks within the Indonesian legal fraternity.
The LPP is designed for students who have no existing Indonesian language skills. Candidates with existing language skills are also welcome. All industry placements provide an English-language working environment.
This experience provided me with opportunities and skills I could never learn in a classroom environment.
– ACICIS Past Participant
Aims
The main aims of the LPP are to:
- Provide students with a practical learning experience with a Host Organisation (or individual practitioner) in the Indonesian legal environment; and
- To develop student’s knowledge of Indonesian law and legal practices, and the application of these legal concepts and practices within Indonesia’s legal sector;
- To enhance bilateral understanding through the creation of new partnerships between Australian and Indonesian counterparts, and serve as a medium for the exchange of ideas in the field of law.
Structure
The structure of the six-week program is as follows:
- Two weeks of intensive Indonesian language classes (mornings) at Atma Jaya Catholic University designed to give participants basic Indonesian language capacity. It is then followed by English-language seminars, workshops and field trips (afternoons), led by experts and practitioners from Indonesian legal organisations and industry; and
- A four-week supervised practicum placement designed to give participants an English-speaking professional experience within an Indonesian or international organisation (or with an individual practitioner) operating within Indonesia’s legal industry.
Supervision
ACICIS’ programs in Indonesia operate under the direction of the ACICIS Resident Director.
In addition, a professional Program Officer (PO) will be assigned for the duration of the LPP to oversee all aspects of the program, including the supervision of its academic content. For the 2018 program, Dr Petra Mahy and Dr Selvie Sinaga were the APOs. In 2019 and 2020, Dr Selvie Sinaga was again an APO, along with Ms Patriani Paramita Mulia.
Participants will also be allocated a workplace mentor at their respective practicum host organisation who will manage the student’s work within the organisation for the duration of the student’s practicum placement.
Some important points to note
- Applicants should be aware that they are applying for the program, not a specific placement. Participants must therefore accept that they may not be placed in their desired choice. In addition, all ACICIS placements with business organisations depend entirely on the goodwill and preparedness of such organisations to host participants. Such organisations retain the right to withdraw from the program or vary the number of participants they host at any stage. Therefore, while acting in good faith in preparing participants for placements, ACICIS cannot guarantee any specific internship site and participants must accept this need for flexibility as a condition of participation in the Law Professional Practicum.
- The visa that participants enter Indonesia on is not a working visa. Participants are strictly prohibited from undertaking any form of paid work during their time on the LPP. ACICIS takes this matter very seriously and will take disciplinary measures against any student found undertaking paid work of any kind throughout the program.
- Participants are advised to take a laptop with them to Indonesia, as in most cases this will help them greatly in their work placements. In some work placements it is essential.
- Please be advised that Atma Jaya has a dress code which will be enforced by ACICIS. T-shirts and thongs are not appropriate.
- Orientation is compulsory for all LPP participants. If you cannot attend orientation then you will, unfortunately, not be able to participate in the program.
