Lecturer in Indonesian Language Education, Dr Wati Istanti, teaches Indonesian at Yale University in a guest lecturer program on 8-15 October 2023. Apart from teaching the language, he also introduces Indonesian culture to students on campus. Wati took this opportunity because she collaborated with the Consortium for Indonesian Teaching (COTI). Therefore, Wati introduced the Indonesian language and culture, especially culinary matters, to students there.
Wati’s choice of America as the place to teach is in line with two pieces of research she collaborated on, namely “Mapping the Characteristics of BIPA Learners Based on Academic and Cultural Backgrounds on the American Continent” and “Development of a BIPA Digital Dictionary Containing Central Javanese Culinary Content as an Introduction to Local Food Culture for American Students”.
Wati said that the Indonesian language introduction program positively contributes to realizing cultural diplomacy in other countries. Wati said this effort could improve the status of the Indonesian language on the world stage. “This could be a form of implementing the mandate of Law Number 24 of 2009, especially in increasing the status of Indonesian as an international language,” said Wati.
