ACICIS is very pleased to announce Ms Lydia Napitupulu as the Academic Program Officer (APO) for the 2019 Business Professional Practicum (BPP), running in January-February next year.

Lydia Napitupulu started her career in the corporate sector, as assistant to the creative director of a global advertising firm, and then doing business development for an American consulting firm. She then completed her Master of Science degree in environmental and natural resource economics at the University of Rhode Island, USA, under the Fulbright Fellowship and has since worked in academia and public policy. Currently Ms. Napitupulu teaches at her alma mater, the Faculty of Economics and Business, and is the Indonesia-based staff of the Indonesia Project at the Indonesia Project at The Australian National University. Additionally, she has worked on research, policy analysis and capacity building projects as independent consultant for the Indonesian and Australian governments, multilateral/bilateral donor organizations, and NGOs.

Hosted by Atma Jaya University in Jakarta, the ACICIS Business Professional Practicum (BPP) offers students the opportunity to undertake a two week academic program, including intensive Indonesian language classes and industry seminars, followed by a supervised practicum placement with an International or Indonesian organisation.

An Academic Program Officer is assigned to each of ACICIS’ professional practicum programs to oversee all aspects of a program, including the supervision of its academic content and assessment of student performance. The APO and ACICIS Resident Director oversee application vetting, participant selection, and work placement allocation. During the program in Indonesia, the APO meets regularly with a student’s Host Organisation placement supervisor – and with the student themselves – to provide mentorship, to ensure that a student is getting the most out of their placement, and to assess a student’s performance. The APO provides students with advice on academic and industry-specific matters, and offers pastoral care and emergency assistance where necessary. The APO also plays a key role in curating and delivering the series of industry seminars that students undertake in the first two weeks of their program.

ACICIS is delighted to welcome Lydia back for a second time as the supervising academic for the BPP. Participating students will be very well served by Lydia’s experience and expertise in business and economics in Indonesia.