Creative exchange in Indonesia gives students industry expertise

The placements are facilitated by the Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS), a non-profit education provider consisting of 24 member universities in Australia, the UK and the Netherlands.

ACICIS received numerous applications for the new Creative Arts and Design Professional Practicum (CADPP) and selected applicants who had voluntary and professional experience in the field, excellent academic achievement, outstanding portfolio work and theoretical understanding of the industry.

The students each receive $3000 funding under the Federal Government’s New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants for the practicum over six weeks, covering intensive Indonesian language classes and supervised placement.

The professional practicum involves collaborating with Indonesian creative practitioners to produce work such as short films, animations, sound and video art, websites, online installations, blogs and social media apps.

Seven students have been selected from four programs in the School of Media and Communication:

• Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) 
• Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication)
• Bachelor of Design (Communication Design)
• Bachelor of Design (Digital Media)

Digital Media Program Manager Dr Adam Nash is pleased about having three students selected from his program.

“These placements offer students the opportunity to be mentored by industry experts while being able to share the knowledge they have gained in the Digital Media design program at RMIT,” Nash said.

Digital Media student Vinh Vo said the internship and the program has offered him the opportunity to experience and broaden his perspective on different cultures as well as meeting others.

“The program will allow me to build skills that I will adapt to the workforce,” Vo said.  

International student Patricia Puspa Himawan is most excited to hear the speakers, one of them being Isha Kening whose graphic motion design is very creative and thoughtful. 

“I am eager to look at how great art is, and through being able to reflect critically on specific aspects – especially understanding how media and technology correlates with design – I will be able to influence the process of design,” Himawan said.

“Here, I can understand the development of design in digital age."

Associate Professor Peter Ling, Deputy Dean (International) in the School of Media and Communication, said the CADPP opportunities for students follow the great success of previous students who have travelled to Indonesia over the years on the ACICIS Journalism Professional Practicum.

“We hope that more students from various communication, design and media areas will apply in future CADPP rounds," Ling said.

The internships to Indonesia are taking place in January and February this year.

Story: Wendy Little