Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE School Partnership Program

BRIDGE stands for Building Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement.

Through the use of a blended model of teacher professional learning, face-to-face, online learning and an international homestay program with partner schools, BRIDGE supports teachers to use technologies to open their classrooms to the world. Each year, 10 Australian and Indonesian schools are invited to join the BRIDGE program to establish a new partnership. Each school can nominate up to two educators from any faculty to participate in the program and manage the relationship with their Indonesian/Australian partner school.

Core components of the BRIDGE program

• Establish a partnership with a school in Indonesia.
• International travel and immersion experience for Australian and Indonesian educators
• Participate in a professional learning program with other educators
• Host 2 Indonesian partner teachers in your school for a week

The program is funded by the Australian Government at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australia-Indonesia Institute and delivered by the Asia Education Foundation.

Indonesian language ability is not a requirement for Australian teachers to take part in this program, although it can offer added learning outcomes. However, sound English capability is required by Indonesian teachers to participate in the program.

Application process

Note: The program is closed for 2024. The following is just general advice.

Australian Schools:

1. Attend the information session
2. Get approval from the principal and school leadership
3. Complete the application form (signed by two nominated educators and signed by the principal)

Program components

• Establish and develop a school partnership to build strong relationships between Australia and Indonesia.
• Participate in a suite of professional learning programs designed to build teacher capacity in pedagogical capabilities  global competence, and intercultural understanding.
• Participate in a school visit and homestay program. Australian partners host Indonesian partners in a weeklong program which is followed by a 3-day cultural immersion and debrief in Melbourne.
• Create a partnership plan that supports ongoing engagement and student collaboration projects.
• Australian teachers are provided with the opportunity to participate in an immersive learning program to Jakarta and a 5-day visit to their Indonesian partner school.

Program Outcomes

The BRIDGE School Partnerships Program aims to achieve three End of Program Outcomes: 

1.  Participating schools establish sustainable partnerships. 
2.  Participating educators expand and apply pedagogical competencies to improve educational outcomes. 
3.  BRIDGE Stakeholders in Australia / Indonesia have increased global competence and positive attitudes towards their counterparts. 

Curriculum Connections

The BRIDGE program supports teachers to implement the Australian Curriculum: 

• Cross Curricular Priority: Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
• General Capability: Intercultural Understanding.

AITSL Standards

The BRIDGE Professional Learning Program has been designed to address the following AITSL Standards:

• 1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds 
• 2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• 3.4 Select and use resources
• 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
• 7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities.

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