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Indonesian Ambassador to open conference at USC
Indonesian Ambassador Teuku Mohammad Hamzah Thayeb will officially open the 9th biennial Australian Society of Indonesian Language Educators (ASILE) conference starting at the University of the Sunshine Coast today (Friday 6 July).
The three-day conference will feature more than 60 experts and educators from across Australia and Indonesia and will have the theme “Indonesian Language Teaching in the Age of Uncertainty”.
Conference presenters will include Walkley Award winning ABC journalist Mark Bowling (making an online conferencing presentation) and Indonesia’s education and culture attache Dr Agus Sartono.
Delegates will include Indonesian language educators from kindergarten to PhD supervisory levels.
USC Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill said the University was privileged to be associated with the conference which is to be jointly hosted by USC and Rydges Oasis Resort Caloundra.
“We are actively pursuing research and teaching partnerships in Indonesia and, in association with local schools, see the promotion of Indonesian language courses as crucial to Australia's future in the region,” he said.
Conference co-ordinator and USC Indonesian lecturer Dr Phillip Mahnken said Indonesian language teaching currently faced many uncertainties, particularly due to negative media coverage of recent events in Indonesia.
“But what is certain is that Indonesia and Australia will forever be neighbours, and collaboration among Indonesian teachers at all levels is a must,” he said.
Delegates will be entertained by the St John’s College Gamelan Orchestra and enjoy the rich and colourful Indonesian culture replicated by the Sunshine Coast Indonesian women’s group SriKandi.