Australian Government Expands BRIDGE School Partnership Program

Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, today announced the continuation of the Australia-Indonesia Building Relations through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement (BRIDGE) program during a visit to SMAN 15 Surabaya, one of the first Indonesian schools to join the program in 2008.

“Australia is committed to building stronger people-to-people links between Australian and Indonesian schools to increase knowledge and understanding of our two countries,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

This new $3.6 million, five-year program will forge more than 80 new school partnerships and involve more than 3,500 Australian and Indonesian teachers and more than 100,000 students through information technology, social networking tools, school visits and on-line training sessions. Four schools from Surabaya, Malang and Kediri have joined the new program, bringing the total number of BRIDGE schools in East Java to fourteen.

“The BRIDGE program has worked with the private sector and communities to deliver education benefits to thousands of teachers and students in Australia and Indonesia. The first phase of BRIDGE built people-to-people links between more than 90,000 Australian and Indonesian students and thousands of teachers,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

“Being a part of BRIDGE has been a great benefit to our school. It has meant our students have been more motivated to learn English and are able to use ICT more confidently. Our students are looking forward to visiting our partner school Kormilda College in Darwin later this year to share and participate in learning and cultural activities,” said SMAN 15 BRIDGE teacher Ali Gufron.

The program is funded by the Australian Government in partnership with The Myer Foundation and delivered by the Asia Education Foundation and Australia-Indonesia Institute.

The new program will be run in 12 Indonesian provinces and 8 Australian states and territories.

Media inquiries:
Mia Salim, Public Affairs, AusAID Indonesia, 08121070237