Journalism Professional Practicum (JPP)

What is the JPP?

The JPP is a unique opportunity to develop your journalism skills within an international media environment, while learning about globally significant issues in one of the region's most important nations.

Indonesia, as the world's largest Muslim nation and home to the most significant tracts of tropical forests outside Brazil, is at crossroads of two critical contemporary global debates. Can Islam and democracy co-exist and can innovative, global environmental initiatives -- such as compensating Indonesia for logging income lost when forests are protected -- help bring global emissions down? Indonesia is also Australia's most important neighbour. Given the the long history of bi-lateral tensions, understanding Indonesia can only enhance a new media career. As the world's fifth most populous nation, struggling with significant poverty, underemployment and inadequate public services, Indonesia also offers young visiting journalists the opportunity to consider politics, economics and daily life from a new angle, outside the Western media lens.

The JPP internships offer a range of practical skill building opportunities from magazine writing to multi-media production to news reporting; for English-language, Indonesian and international media organizations. After decades of censorship, the media in Indonesia has emerged as a vibrant, critical "fourth estate". The JPP also offers internships in key international organizations, which have established communications strategies and the ability to publish and broadcast globally; such as the WWF, Greenpeace and the United Nations. Rapidly evolving media models are providing expanding opportunities for young journalists to create quality content for web based direct-to-audience media models. These international communications internships also offer experience in media advocacy in the environment and development sectors.

At the opening ceremony for JPP 2009 Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Mr Bill Farmer said:

“I congratulate ACICIS on providing this opportunity to young visitors to Indonesia and also basically for having the vision to see that this is really a very important foundation stone in the sort of relationship we are building between our two countries. That is, a relationship I think that is increasingly one of understanding. That’s where the ACICIS students really come into this, coming to understand Indonesia yourselves, but then conveying that understanding to an Australian audience.”

ACICIS would like to thank the Australia-Indonesia Institute, the Myer Foundation, and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) for their support of the JPP 2009.

JPP details

ACICIS is offering the JPP in 2010 for students of journalism, media and communications studies, and cadet journalists. The program is designed to provide participants, who may not necessarily have Indonesian-language skills or experience in Indonesia, with the opportunity to live and work in the diverse and dynamic media scene of the bustling capital, Jakarta. A pilot JPP program was held in 2002, and full programs were held in Jakarta in 2008 and in 2009.

The JPP 2010 aims to give students the background knowledge and theoretical insights required to work in and report on Indonesia. Participants will experience the social, workplace and professional journalistic cultures directly through class work and practical work placements in media organisations, and also get a taste for the environment in which a foreign correspondent might operate and the nature of international journalism.

The JPP 2010 is organised as a six-week study program, undertaken in Jakarta at the end of the Australian academic calendar year, during January and February. The Project Officer for the program will once again be senior Walkley Award-winning Australian journalist Louise Williams, who has had considerable experience living and working in Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region.

All participants must agree to abide by a Stakeholders' Protocol.

Some important points

• The visa that students use is not a working visa. Students are in breach of their visa provisons by doing stringer work, or any other kind of paid work, while on the JPP. ACICIS takes this matter very seriously and will take disciplinary measures against any student found doing this.
• Travel outside of Jakarta for business or pleasure is only allowed with the advance permission of the Project Officer. There are strict provisions attached to this and these can be read on the last page of the application forms.
• Students are advised to take a laptop with them to Indonesia, as in most cases this will help them greatly in their work placements. In some work placements it is essential.
• You may also want to consider bringing specific journalism devices (e.g. recording devices) with you, as these will not necessarily be provided at your work placement.
• Please be advised that Atma Jaya has a dress code which will be enforced by ACICIS. T-shirts and thongs are not appropriate.
• Students are not allowed to enter Indonesia prior to Friday 25 December 2009, due to visa requirements..
• All students must be in Jakarta to begin orientation on Thursday 31 December 2009.

More Details