My Global Short Program experience with International Internships

In January 2025, I had the privilege to embark on a one-month adventure to the province of North Sumatra in Indonesia as part of my Global Short Program experience with International Internships. As a final year student of my Bachelor of Environmental Biology degree, I decided to undertake this internship to diversify my learning experiences and to develop a cross-cultural awareness and understanding of one of Australia’s closest partners. This experience has been life-changing to say the least, with many core memories, relationships, and knowledge being built along the way.

Indonesia has a rich culture that varies amongst its many ethnic groups around the country. I found the cultural workshops and classes to be extremely eye-opening, as much of the culture differs tremendously from the culture we know back in Australia. Having spent most of my time in North Sumatra, I learnt about the Batak ethnic group, and their highly spiritual and rich cultural heritage that continues to be resilient against ongoing threats of land ownership and natural resource use.

My project was with a grassroot organisation OIC and was shared with 2 other Australian students from other university institutions and a local Indonesian student. The project focused on monitoring soil erosion and measuring carbon stock at Bukit Mas Permaculture Centre. This site was a former palm oil plantation with much of it having been restored by the organisation back to natural habitat for the endemic Sumatran orangutan population. In addition, the permaculture centre serves as a community hub for sustainable farming and education. Our field visit experience was extremely impactful, allowing us to contribute towards a key threatening issue faced by the locals and the success of restoration efforts by the OIC.

A few highlights from my time in North Sumatra include making life-long connections along the way. I was able to connect with a range of individuals, such as Indonesian students, Australian students, Indonesian mentors, experts, and partners. We were also able to explore areas throughout North Sumatra in our free time, one of these being Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world. We also spent a weekend in Bukit Lawang, where we went trekking to see the Sumatran orangutan in the wild, an experience that can only be done in North Sumatra!

Overall, this Global Short Program has been life-changing to say the least, and I believe has taught me new skills and knowledge that I would not have been able to acquire in a normal classroom setting. I have not only gained professional experience and development towards my future career goals, but also the most amazing memories!

Amy Wong
Bachelor of Environmental Biology
International Internships, Indonesia
New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal