Australia Struggles to Foster Asia Experts, Indonesian Language Faces 'Functional Extinction' Crisis

A new government report in Australia has sounded the alarm over a concerning decline in the nation's "Asia capability," which encompasses the teaching and learning of Asian languages and cultures, as well as broader regional engagement. The inquiry, titled “Security and Prosperity in Asia: Building Asia Capability in Australia through the Education System and Beyond,” found that Australia’s future prosperity, diplomacy, and strategic independence are increasingly reliant on its population's knowledge of the Asian region, yet the institutions responsible for cultivating this capability are weakening. The report distinguishes between general "Asia literacy" for the wider public and the deeper specialist expertise needed by diplomats, researchers, business leaders, defense officials, and policymakers. It posits that a strong baseline of knowledge within the general public is crucial for producing the critical mass of experts required for specialist roles. Schools should equip all students with a robust general knowledge of the region, which universities can then hone into advanced expertise. However, the pipeline for developing this capability is exhibiting serious problems. Evidence suggests that fewer Australians are studying Asian languages than in previous decades, with significant drops particularly in priority languages such as Indonesian, Japanese, and Mandarin. These languages have seen sharp declines in secondary schools and dramatic decreases at the university level. The study of Indonesian has been singled out as facing a crisis. Given Indonesia's status as Australia's largest near neighbor, it should be considered a strategically vital subject. Yet, the report describes the study of the Indonesian language as approaching "functional extinction" within the education systems of some states. This decline risks a compounding effect: fewer students studying Asian languages in schools will lead universities to reduce or close language programs due to low demand, which in turn diminishes the number of future teachers, academics, and researchers needed to sustain the system. Australia risks losing the institutional capacity to build the Asia expertise it requires. Structural hurdles also contribute to this deficit. The responsibility for building Asia capabilities is fragmented across schools, universities, state governments, federal departments, and businesses. The lack of a single overseeing institution results in poor coordination between school language programs, university pathways, workforce needs, and national strategic priorities. Culturally, the report identifies two components. First, there is a deep-seated complacency within the Australian psyche, stemming from a perception of having prospered from luck rather than effort. This has bred an ingrained, lethargic culture that prevents foresight and preparedness. Second, there is a lingering suspicion toward the region. While Australia has become a multicultural society with strong diaspora links, a cohort of people remains who do not see the merit in developing greater cultural knowledge of the region, often viewing it as a threat. The report dismisses advances in AI or translation technology as a solution, labeling them "lazy ways" to address the capability deficit. These digital tools, it argues, cannot replace the deeper cultural understanding, contextual knowledge, and human relationships essential for diplomacy, economic opportunity, and broader regional engagement. The report offered 34 recommendations to enhance Australia's Asia capabilities. While not making priority languages compulsory, they present a blueprint for improvement. However, the report cautions that these recommendations may still be futile if Australia cannot confront its own cultural resistance and lack of political will. Source: The Diplomat Indonesia