In 2021, Mentari Group’s blog published an article entitled “Indonesian Language Towards an International Language“, this article emphasizes the steps the government and society must take to internationalize the Indonesian language. Building on that discussion, this article will highlight the ongoing efforts made to internationalize the Indonesian language.
In 2009, Law No. 24 concerning the Flag, Language, National Emblem, and National Anthem was enacted. Part Four of this law includes provisions to enhance the role of the Indonesian language as an international language. Article 44 states that the government is required to improve the function of Indonesian as a global language in a gradual, systematic, and sustainable manner. Since the implementation of this law, numerous efforts have been made to promote the language. Most notably, in November 2023, Indonesian was officially designated as the language of the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
This achievement results from collaborative efforts from the Language Development and Guidance Agency (Language Agency), diplomats from the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI), and high-ranking officials from various ministries. Additionally, the hard work of academics from multiple universities, both domestically and internationally, has contributed significantly. We should also acknowledge the diaspora and independent tutors working at home and abroad.
Association for the Teaching and Promotion of Indonesian as a Foreign Language. (APPBIPA), affiliated with the Language Agency, collaborates with the Ministry of Education and Culture (now the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education) and the Ministry of Manpower to develop competency standards. As a professional organization, the Language Agency and APPBIPA have established a strong partnership in teaching and promoting Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA).
- Efforts by the Language Development and Guidance Agency
The Language Agency has undertaken numerous initiatives, such as training prospective BIPA teachers, selecting qualified instructors, and publishing BIPA textbooks. However, its primary strategy for internationalizing Indonesian is increasing the number of entries in the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI).
KBBI is the official Indonesian dictionary compiled by the Language Development and Development Agency and published by Balai Pustaka. Although it includes entries from various informal languages forms, KBBI as the principal reference for standard Indonesian. KBBI was regarded as the most comprehensive Indonesian dictionary ever published by a government agency.
In 2024, the Language Agency succeeded in increasing the number of entries in the KBBI to 208,283 entries. This effort is part of national policy. The increase in the number of entries is expected to increase the flexibility and adaptability of the Indonesian language. Thus, dictionaries are easier to use in various fields, such as science, technology, business, and art. Efforts to expand the number of entries in the KBBI are part of a strategy to internationalize the Indonesian language. There are five achievements with the addition of entries in the KBBI.
a. Enhancing the Prestige of the Indonesian Language
Expanding and enriching vocabulary KBBI allows it to become more comprehensive and effectively in reflecting the complexity of the Indonesian language. This development positions Indonesian as one of the world’s major languages, ready to compete with other international languages such as English, Mandarin, and Spanish.
b. International Cooperation
In enhancing its entries, the Language Agency collaborates with esteemed international institutions, including Oxford University Press and Lexical Computing. This collaboration demonstrates that the development of KBBI is aimed at domestic audiences and intended to meet international linguistic standards. Furthermore, these international partnerships facilitate broader acceptance of the Indonesian language. For example, University of Indonesia, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB-UI) to be specific, have produced bilingual dictionaries in collaboration with foreign institutions, such as Italian-Indonesian, French-Indonesian, Russian-Indonesian, and Mandarin-Indonesian dictionaries.
c. Language Diplomacy
The Indonesian government to use Indonesian as the language of instruction in various international forums, including UNESCO and ASEAN, as well as in educational institutions abroad. A more comprehensive KBBI would strengthen the foundation for promoting Indonesian as an official language backed by substantial documentation.
d. Language as National Identity
The initiative to internationalize Indonesian is also critical to cultural diplomacy. By expanding the entries in the KBBI, Indonesia demonstrates its commitment to preserving its language while highlighting it as a vital component of national identity on the global stage.
e. Teaching Indonesian Abroad
A rich KBBI, full of lemmas, will be invaluable for teaching Indonesian as a foreign language, especially in programs like Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA). An increase in vocabulary and entries provides more resources for international students.
This effort aligns with Indonesia’s broader vision of becoming a recognized symbol of unity on the global stage. The growing richness of KBBI reflects the evolving complexity of Indonesian vocabulary, making KBBI a more comprehensive reference for language users.
2. Affiliate of Indonesian Language Teachers and Activists for Foreign Speakers (APPBIPA)
APBIPA was founded in November 1999 after holding the 3rd International BIPA Teaching Conference (KIPBIPA) at IKIP Bandung (now the Indonesian Education University). During its 2015 – 2019 management meeting, held on 12-14 December 2015 at the Media Hotel and Towers, Jakarta, APPBIPA rebranded itself from APBIPA.
Association for the Teaching and Promotion of Indonesian as a Foreign Language. (APPBIPA) is a professional organization comprised of BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia untuk Penutur Asing) teachers and activists, such as diplomats and high-ranking officials, both within Indonesia and abroad. APPBIPA’s primary mission is to promote the Indonesian language and introduce Indonesian culture to foreign speakers.
To internationalize the Indonesian language, it is important to note that when a country recognizes a language as essential, it often establishes study programs at local universities. Consequently, various educational programs are being developed in collaboration with different ministries and universities in Indonesia and internationally. According to records from the Language Agency, Indonesian is being taught in 54 countries, including the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, England, Italy, Japan, Germany, Egypt, Russia, Thailand, and China, highlighting its significance in international circles.
Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA) program is a non-degree program for non-native speakers. It is offered by 523 government and private institutions, both domestically and internationally, serving 172,029 students and employing 1,857 BIPA teachers.
Every year, the Ministry of Education and Culture launches the Darmasiswa Indonesian Scholarship program, which grants full scholarships to 650 international students from 172 countries to study the Indonesian language in Indonesia. These students are distributed across various universities throughout the country. The Darmasiswa program represents a cultural diplomacy initiative aimed at the internationalization of the Indonesian language by the Indonesian government.
APPBIPA has 24 branches within Indonesia and six abroad, located in England, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Timor Leste. APPBIPA organizes the BIPA International Teaching Conference (KIPBIPA) every two years and conducts numerous BIPA seminars. The organization also serves as a consultant in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Manpower to develop various competency standards. Additionally, APPBIPA assists the Language Agency in creating BIPA textbooks and training prospective BIPA teachers assigned overseas for four months.
In 2017, the Regulaton of Minister of Education and Culture (Permendikbud) No. 27/2017 has been issued concerning BIPA Graduate Competency Standards (SKL). Furthermore 2024, the Decree of Minister of Manpower No. 11/2024 has also been issued on the Indonesian National Work Competency Standardization System (SKKNI) for BIPA Teachers. The drafting of these decrees involved collaboration between the relevant ministries and APPBIPA, which also supports the Language Agency in the training and selecting of BIPA teachers.
These efforts by the government and APPBIPA provide a clear picture into the initiatives to promote the internationalization of the Indonesian language. Additionally, on August 16, 2022, the Language Agency published the Enhanced Spelling (EYD) V (2022) to facilitate BIPA instruction. While significant progress has been made, there is still much work ahead. The Language Agency has also made available various folklore books to enhance foreign knowledge of Indonesian culture and language. It is hoped that by 2045, Indonesian will achieve recognition as a global language.
- Retired in 2018 from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Indonesian University (FIB-UI). His final education was a doctoral degree in the field of lexical semantics. ↩︎
