There's no question that Australia is tightly bound to Asia. Indonesia is a close neighbor, China is its most important trading partner, and India and Japan are its strategic partners. While prioritizing Asia-focused education would thus seem essential for Australia, recent trends indicate a decline in Asian language and studies programs in Australian universities, risking leaving the country ill-prepared to navigate its future in the region. What are the causes of this flagging interest in studying Asia, and how can it be rekindled? Indonesia law expert Professor Melissa Crouch and Indonesia political scientist Professor Edward Aspinall shed light on the state of Asian studies and its importance to Australia. Presented by Ali Moore.

An Asia Institute podcast.

Produced and edited by profactual.com.

Music by audionautix.com.