• Advertise
  • About us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Australian Times News
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
Australian Times News
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Universities abandon language programs to Australia’s economic cost

Key employer body fears that cutting Southeast Asian language tuition at universities will harm efforts to develop alternative markets to China.

Mike Simpson by Mike Simpson
17-12-2020 07:00
in News
Jakarta, Indonesia: Australian employers must have access to staff with some Indonesian-language skills. Image by Abd Katon from Pixabay

Jakarta, Indonesia: Australian employers must have access to staff with some Indonesian-language skills. Image by Abd Katon from Pixabay

Australian businesses looking for alternative markets to China during the current trade tensions could have their efforts undermined by the closure of language programs by a number of universities,” the national employer association, the Ai Group, has warned.

The organisation says La Trobe University and Murdoch University have both announced that they will close their Indonesian programs this year, continuing a long-term and disturbing national trend of reducing the number of student places in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) languages. 

“There is talk that other institutions will follow suit,” Ai Group’s Chief Executive, Innes Willox, said.

Australia may be scoring an own goal

“There is an economic cost to these decisions and it is an own goal for us to reduce our regional language expertise at a time when exports to ASEAN are expanding,” he cautioned.

“Ai Group is this year issuing more Certificates of Origin for exports to ASEAN than China, with 25% issued for China compared with 30% for ASEAN. To maintain and grow our regional markets requires a workforce that is literate in Asian language and culture.”

Willox said there had been much talk of Australia’s need to develop an Asia-Ready Workforce Strategy for more than a decade and such an approach is needed now more than ever.

Australia needed businesses that understood regional languages, culture, politics and legal hurdles. Without the foundation of school and university language programs this was potentially a lost cause.

Employers need staff with language skills

“A key plank of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) is a skills-exchange program between related companies in Indonesia and Australia. If employers don’t have access to Australian staff with some Indonesian-language skills, they won’t be able to benefit from the program,” Willox said.

AlsoRead...

The Broker who says ‘Yes’ when Banks say NO

The Broker who says ‘Yes’ when Banks say NO

8 July 2025
Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

5 June 2025

“There is a lot of talk about the need for businesses to find alternative markets to manage the increased risk of relying on China. 

“Indonesia, and ASEAN in general, are the most viable alternatives to China and we need a skilled workforce to capitalise on opportunities,” he said.

Tags: AustraliaAustralia-China relationsAustralian economyeconomic developmentEconomyIndonesiaTrade dealsTrade relations
DMCA.com Protection Status

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER

[mc4wp_form id=”2384248″]

Don't Miss

The Broker who says ‘Yes’ when Banks say NO

by Pauline Torongo
8 July 2025
The Broker who says ‘Yes’ when Banks say NO
Business & Finance

When faced with constant loan rejection or last-minute withdrawals of support, Trelos Finance stands out as a solution.

Read more

Common Mistakes When Buying a Telescope — And How to Avoid Them

by Fazila Olla-Logday
1 July 2025
Common Mistakes When Buying a Telescope
Technology

You’ve spent hours scrolling through telescope specs online, dazzled by features and grand promises. The excitement builds—until your newly arrived...

Read more

From Portugal to Bali: Where Aussies Should Go for Your Next Coastal Holiday

by Fazila Olla-Logday
20 June 2025
Source: Flickr
Travel

Aussies, here is a guide to where you should go for your next coastal holiday.

Read more

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

by Pauline Torongo
5 June 2025
Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era
Business & Finance

If you're leading a software team today, you've likely noticed the shift: faster feature rollouts, routine automation, and AI taking...

Read more

How to Save on Airport Parking: Budget Tips Every Traveller Should Know

by Fazila Olla-Logday
3 June 2025
How to Save on Airport Parking
Travel

Saving money on airport parking can be a challenge,but here are some budget friendly tips to help you navigate.

Read more

Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin

by Pauline Torongo
28 May 2025
Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin
Business & Finance

Bélanger-Martin’s ambitions stretch beyond redefining inflight comfort—they’re rooted in resurrecting the romance of supersonic travel with a modern twist.

Read more

Why a Gluten Free Hamper is simply the Best Gift for a Coeliac

by Fazila Olla-Logday
22 May 2025
Gluten Free Hamper
at

Buying a thoughtful gift can be tricky at the best of times, but when someone has dietary restrictions like coeliac...

Read more
Load More

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status

  • About us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • T&Cs, Privacy and GDPR
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status