Students from Southern Christian College in Tasmania have travelled to Indonesia to visit their partner school, SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Denpasar, as part of the BRIDGE Australia-Indonesia Schools Partnership program.

The visit is an opportunity for the Australian students to practice their Indonesian language skills in an Indonesian community setting. The program gives the students direct exposure to different cultures to create greater understanding, awareness and respect for diversity.

The group, which includes two teachers and five high-school students, will visit Bali and Sumba until they return in early September. The College students and teachers are involved in teaching some English lessons in the classroom and also introduce some Australian sports, including cricket and Aussie Rules.

In 2008 the BRIDGE project was implemented by the Australia-Indonesia Institute in partnership with the Asia Education Foundation. The Myer Foundation has provided some funding support along with the Australian aid program.

There have been 91 teachers from 47 Indonesian schools who have visited Australia under the BRIDGE project as a way of forging ongoing relationships between schools in both countries.