Acicis gives Australian students of agriculture and other disciplines the chance to study and work in Indonesia.
Story Kate Newsome Photo Will Mutton
The vistas of mangrove forests and paddy fields, drenched in the rainy season, seem far removed from the rolling paddocks of WA’s Great Southern, where Will Mutton was born and raised. “All you hear about Indonesia is Bali – everyone goes there for holidays,” Will says. “But then, eating the mee goreng noodles in Indonesia, you’re like, ‘This wheat could’ve been what I harvested last year’, and then eating some lamb – I could’ve tagged those sheep.”
Will gained experience on his family’s livestock and cropping operation near Brookton, WA, before commencing his undergraduate studies in agribusiness and ag science. Walking through the University of WA campus, he’d passed an office with Acicis signage numerous times, unaware it was the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies. Then, during uni break, back in his hometown, someone recommended he apply for Acicis’ 2024 Agriculture Professional Practicum in Indonesia, one of the fastest-growing markets for Australian agricultural exports.
Acicis is a non-profit group of universities that coordinate long- and short-term study and work experience in Indonesia, while providing 24/7 in-country and pre-departure support. Since Acicis was established in 1994, more than 4,000 Australian students have participated in its suite of programs spanning healthcare, business, law, journalism, design, development, science and agriculture.
Practicum students complete a fortnight of classes, field trips and language lessons at Atma Jaya University in Jakarta, before commencing month-long internships with one of more than 160 host organisations. Will undertook his placement with KRKP (The People’s Coalition for Food Sovereignty) in Bogor, West Java. Food sovereignty, Will explains, pertains to food security and self-sufficiency, and how to improve agricultural systems and distribution so that non-producers still have meals on the table.
This story excerpt is from issue #161
Outback Magazine: June/July 2025
