Luke Arnold completed the Flexible Language Immersion Program in 2000 as part of his Bachelor of Arts/Laws (Hons) at the University of Melbourne.
Luke Arnold now works as Assistant Secretary in the Office of Southeast Asia at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His experience in the region runs deep. He has worked for the International Labour Organization in Jakarta and Dili, led Australia’s governance and justice cooperation at the Embassy in Indonesia, and served as Deputy Ambassador to Cambodia. Most recently, he was Australia’s High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam.
It all began with a semester at Universitas Gadjah Mada, supported by Acicis.
“I undertook my Acicis semester at UGM in Yogyakarta in the second year of my undergraduate studies,” he said. At the time, he had already spent six years learning Indonesian in high school, followed by another year at university. “The natural next step seemed to be to live in Indonesia and take some classes that used Indonesian as the medium for instruction.”
With Acicis’s help, he enrolled in philosophy and law subjects at UGM, alongside advanced Indonesian classes. “Apparently I was the only the second international student to ever study at UGM’s Faculty of Philosophy,” he recalled. “Philosophy is of course a very language-heavy discipline, so I struggled at the beginning and was convinced that my lecturers were going easy on me – my marks seemed always to be a B for Bule (Caucasian) or a C for Coba Aja (because I ‘gave it a shot’).”
But the learning didn’t stop in the classroom. “I found plenty of time between classes to make and hang out with some amazing friends – both from Indonesia and beyond.” He spent weekends exploring the region — tubing through the Green Canyon of Pangandaran, climbing Mount Merapi, and relaxing at local favourites like Dewata Café and Warung Lurung.
His semester coincided with the Reformasi period, and he volunteered once a week at the Legal Aid Foundation. “I worked with inspiring individuals, like Munir Thalib (who was later assassinated), and developed an interest in efforts to strengthen human rights and the rule of law.”
That early exposure helped shape his professional direction. “This put me on a career path which involved working for the International Labour Organization in Jakarta and Dili, then on capacity building programs with AusAID and then ultimately leading the Australian Embassy’s anti-corruption, justice sector and democratic governance cooperation in Indonesia.”
His language skills continue to support his work. “The Bahasa Indonesia that I developed during Acicis continues to open doors for me – such as when my introductory video in Malay was circulated to the Bruneian Cabinet.”
Looking back, he is clear about the long-term value of the experience. “I thoroughly encourage anyone thinking about doing Acicis to take the plunge and do it. While it will no doubt benefit your career, this will be an added bonus. Far more valuable will be the friendships, experiences, wisdom and resilience you will gain. What could be more exciting? Throw yourself in and have fun.”
