Indonesian studies is on track to extinction in Australia within the next decade if the current drop-off continues, an academic warns.
University of Melbourne professor Tim Lindsey, who sat on a Gillard government committee aimed at helping to reverse the downward trend in Asian studies, told a recent Australia Indonesia Business Council briefing that the only way the courses would survive was through federal government subsidies.
He said a dramatic investment of hundreds of millions of dollars was needed.
"Indonesian studies is in a massive decline and is on track to extinction in our schools and universities almost completely over the next decade," Prof Lindsey said.
"Over the past five years or so, every year, one or two of the universities around Australia chops Indonesian studies. It's basically hanging on by its fingernails because there are a few vice chancellors who said 'not on my watch'.
"We have a major national problem about second languages and in particular, Asian languages, and the only way to fix it on an ongoing basis is around about $100 million a year - no Australian political party at the moment is going to do that.
"So are we going to lose our Asian language skills, such as they are?"
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