The University of Tasmania’s proposal to close its Indonesian language program has drawn criticism from language educators and policy advocates, who say the move undermines national efforts to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia.
Liam Prince, Director of the Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (Acicis), has called on the university to reconsider, warning that the decision could have implications beyond Tasmania.
“This is not just a local issue,” said Prince. “It’s part of a broader national trend that is steadily eroding Australia’s capacity to engage with its most important regional neighbour.”
The proposed closure would leave Tasmania without any tertiary-level Indonesian language teaching and reduce the number of Australian universities offering the subject to just 12, down from 22 in the early 1990s.
The timing has raised eyebrows. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned from a diplomatic visit to Jakarta, where he reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to its partnership with Indonesia. The federal government’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 similarly calls for a “whole-of-nation effort” to deepen engagement with the region—including improved regional literacy.
Critics say university-level language programs play a key role in achieving that aim—and that closures like the one proposed at UTAS run counter to government policy.
“You can’t have Southeast Asia literacy without Southeast Asian languages,” Prince said. “And you can’t be serious about engagement with Indonesia without Indonesian.”
National Trend of Decline
According to Acicis, enrolments in Southeast Asian languages at Australian universities have dropped by nearly 75% since 2001. Indonesian has been particularly affected, with national enrolments now down to around 500 students per year—just a quarter of what they were two decades ago.
Prince points to a long-term decline in school-based language education as a key driver behind university program cuts.
“University programs rely on a steady pipeline of students from schools,” he said. “Without that, they become unsustainable, no matter how strategically important they are.”
In the 1990s, the federal government funded the National Asian Languages and Studies in Australian Schools (NALSAS) strategy, which led to significant growth in enrolments. But that funding ended in 2002 and has not been replaced by a similar national initiative.
Fewer than 5% of Year 12 students currently study an Asian language in Australia.
Call for National Response
In response to what it sees as a systemic issue, Acicis recently launched a national campaign—the Pledge for Asian Languages in Australian Schools—calling for renewed federal investment. The campaign is pushing for $84 million per year in school-level language funding, equivalent to the amount provided under NALSAS at its peak.
Prince is urging UTAS to pause its plans and consult with stakeholders before proceeding.
“This is about more than one course or one university,” he said. “It’s about whether future generations of Australians will be equipped to build meaningful relationships with our region.”
The University of Tasmania has not yet confirmed when a final decision will be made.
