Australian and Indonesian educators connect through BRIDGE in Perth
Perth, Australia | August 2026
Educators from Australia and Indonesia came together in Perth for three days of professional learning, cultural exchange and relationship-building as part of the 2026 Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program.
For many participants, Thursday evening marked the first time they had met their BRIDGE partners face-to-face. Over Korean BBQ, introductions quickly became conversations as teachers began forming the relationships that would shape the days ahead.
The formal program began on Friday on Whadjuk Noongar Country with a Welcome to Country, followed by Boodjarak Kaatitjiny - Knowledge on Country, a guided experience through Kings Park and Botanic Garden.
For Indonesian participant Dian, Uncle Matt’s description of connection through the image of a spider web was particularly powerful.
“My highlight is taken from Uncle Matt’s words that our life is like a spider web, that every small act creates a vibration that shakes the whole web, connecting our choices, relations, and the impact to the world around us.”
The experience encouraged participants to consider connections between culture, Country, education and the environment before attention turned to climate change education.
Thea Stinear, Amanda Tan and Mahnee Cooke introduced participants to Cool+ resources, with Australian and Indonesian teachers exploring curriculum-aligned approaches to climate learning and beginning to plan collaborative projects. One partner team from Jakarta and Dunalley, for example, developed plans for students to record and compare changes in temperature in their two locations.
Friday concluded with dinner at the Indonesian Consulate, providing another opportunity to connect, share experiences and strengthen relationships.
On Saturday, participants explored Universal Design for Learning and Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), considering practical approaches to creating more inclusive classrooms. Partner teams then developed targeted observation plans to guide their upcoming school visits, identifying aspects of inclusive practice they wanted to investigate and discuss together.
Professional learning was balanced with opportunities simply to spend time together. A Swan River cruise from Perth to Fremantle was followed by a photo challenge that sent partners exploring Fremantle together.
Photos shared by participants from Swan River cruise and Freemantle photo challenge
These informal experiences proved to be an important part of the immersion. For Beck, a highlight was “learning alongside our new partners about their schools, lives, culture, families and passions”, as well as opportunities to “explore and get lost … with new friends.”
Across the weekend, teachers discovered commonalities in their work, learned from differences in their schools and cultures, and began building genuine professional relationships and friendships.
On Sunday, participants left Perth with their partners for schools across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, where the conversations, questions and collaborative ideas developed during the immersion would continue.
The Perth experience provided much more than preparation for a school visit. It created a shared foundation for collaboration, intercultural learning and lasting connection.
BRIDGE begins with schools, but it grows through people.
