Education 4 - Indonesia at Melbourne

Talking Indonesia: disability and education

Education, Human Rights, Talking Indonesia

Although opportunities for education remain limited for people with disability in Indonesia, some Islamic universities have taken steps to improve accessibility. In Talking Indonesia, Dr Dirk Tomsa chats to Dr Dina Afrianty about what pushed them to act, and the likelihood that others will follow.

Is it really a surprise that radicals might have infiltrated Indonesian kindergartens?

Analysis, Education, Religion

Indonesians were stunned over the weekend by photos of kindergarten students dressed as violent extremists. Lies Marcoes writes that while the choice of costume was disturbing, the fact that something like this could happen in an Indonesian kindergarten was not a surprise.

China’s Confucius Institutes in Indonesia: walking a fine line

Analysis, Education, Foreign Policy, Society

The Chinese state's Confucius Institutes are often depicted as vehicles for expanding Chinese soft power. But as Rika Theo writes, the Indonesian experience demonstrates that the institutes are not simply unidirectional projects imposed on Indonesia from a wealthy partner seeking to expand its influence.

How autonomous are Indonesian universities?

Analysis, Education

Indonesian universities now have far greater institutional autonomy than they did under the New Order regime. But Diatyka Widya Permata Yasih and Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir write that real autonomy involves the freedom to take a critical stance against the interests of the state and market. And this is where Indonesian universities are struggling.

Talking Indonesia: higher education

Education, Talking Indonesia

Why do Indonesian universities perform so poorly in global university rankings? What reforms have been attempted and why have they failed? Dr Dirk Tomsa explores these issues and more with Professor Andrew Rosser in the latest Talking Indonesia podcast.

Indonesians are not big readers – but is anything being done about it?

Aid & Development, Analysis, Education

Indonesians' lack of interest in reading is well documented - a recent study put the country in 60th position out of 61 countries in terms of interest in reading. But is anyone doing anything to address the reading crisis? Dr Lily Yulianti Farid, founder and director of the Makassar International Writers Festival, takes a look at what is being done - and what should be done - to make reading more fun.

LGBT Indonesians on campus: too hot to handle

Analysis, Education, Human Rights

Last weekend, the minister of higher education, research and technology stated that he would ban LGBT Indonesians from all universities in the country. Although he has attempted to qualify this statement, Hendri Yulius describes how the incident is part of a trend of increasing restrictions on the discussion of LGBT issues in Indonesian universities.

Talking Indonesia: Australian scholarships

Aid & Development, Education, Talking Indonesia

About 18,000 Indonesians have studied in Australia on government-funded scholarships since the 1940s. What has the impact of these scholarships been, for the students themselves, for Indonesia and Australia? Dr Dave McRae explores this question with Dr Jemma Purdey, who has recently completed a study on the issue.

People with disability: locked out of learning?