Strategic Urgency of BIPA in the Modern Era: Geopolitics, Digitalization, and Cultural Diplomacy

Hani Atus Sholikhah; Nurhayati Nurhayati; Ernalida Ernalida; Zahra Alwi; Santi Oktarina; Supyan Hussin; Wahyudi Rahmat; Refa Lina Tiawati

Authors

Hani Atus Sholikhah Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia
Nurhayati Nurhayati Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia
Ernalida Ernalida Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia
Zahra Alwi Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia
Santi Oktarina Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Sumatra Selatan, Indonesia
Supyan Hussin Universitas Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Wahyudi Rahmat Universitas PGRI Sumatra Barat, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia
Refa Lina Tiawati Universitas PGRI Sumatra Barat, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia

Keywords:

Indonesian for Speakers of Other Languages (BIPA); Language Diplomacy; Soft Power; Digitalization; Indonesian for Specific Purposes

Abstract

Indonesia's growing strategic role in global economic, political, and digital arenas has spurred rising interest in Bahasa Indonesia among foreign speakers, typically studied through Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA). This study aims to map and analyze the multidimensional urgency of BIPA learning in the contemporary era, moving beyond its traditional framing as a purely academic or cultural pursuit. Using a macro-level qualitative approach that combines policy and document analysis with a systematic literature review, the study examines policy documents, institutional reports, and empirical studies on Indonesian language internationalization published mainly between 2003 and 2024. The findings indicate that the urgency of BIPA has shifted from primarily academic and cultural motives toward economic and professional motives intertwined with digital technology integration. The synthesis reveals four converging dimensions: the economic and professional dimension, the geopolitical and academic dimension, the sociocultural dimension, and a persistent gap between available teaching materials and the practical needs of learners with specific purposes, such as business, healthcare, and tourism. The study also benchmarks Indonesia's language internationalization strategy against established frameworks, including TOEFL, IELTS, HSK, and TOPIK. It offers policy recommendations for adaptive, needs-based BIPA curriculum development that integrates digital technology and responds to global mobility and cultural diplomacy.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alderson, J. C. (2000). Assessing Reading. Cambridge University Press.

Andriyanto, O. D., Septiana, H., Asrori, A., Rhubido, D., Hardika, M., & Panich, P. (2024). Indonesian language curriculum design for foreign learners: Business focused BIPA program at the intermediate level, Universitas Negeri Surabaya. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 16(4), 5300–5312.

Audrey, J., Sari, D. S., & Mubarak, K. Z. (2023). Indonesian language diplomacy in the United States of America through the Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA) program. Language, Education and Culture Research, 3(2), p1. https://doi.org/10.22158/lecr.v3n2p1

Blake, R. J., & Guillén, G. (2020). Brave New Digital Classroom: Technology and Foreign Language Learning (3rd ed.). Georgetown University Press.

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Multilingual Matters.

Darwis, M. (2019). Pragmatik dalam Pengajaran Bahasa. Makassar: Universitas Hasanuddin.

Jenkins, J. (2014). English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity. Oxford University Press.

Kim, S. (2021). The soft power of popular culture: The case of Hallyu and Korean language learning. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 42(5), 450–464.

Kubota, R. (2016). The multi/plural turn, postcolonial theory, and neoliberal multiculturalism: Complicities and implications for Applied Linguistics. Applied Linguistics, 37(4), 474–494.

Kusmiatun, A. (2019). The importance of the Indonesian Language Proficiency Test for BIPA students for academic purposes. Diksi, 27(1), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.21831/diksi.v27i1.26140

Lo Bianco, J. (2014). Domesticating the extraordinary: Internationalization in Australian universities, language policy and pedagogy. Modern Language Journal, 98(4), 915–930.

Long, M. H. (2005). Second Language Needs Analysis. Cambridge University Press.

McNamara, T. (2000). Language Testing. Oxford University Press.

Nye, J. S. (2004). Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. PublicAffairs.

Oktriono, K. (2019). UKBI: Experimental development of web based Indonesian language proficiency test for foreign speakers. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1175(1), 012254. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1175/1/012254

Park, J. S. (2011). Globalization, language, and social inequality. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 15(4), 533–544.

Phillipson, R. (2009). Linguistic Imperialism Continued. Routledge.

Republik Indonesia. (2009). Undang-Undang Nomor 24 Tahun 2009 tentang Bendera, Bahasa, dan Lambang Negara, serta Lagu Kebangsaan. Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia.

Saddhono, K. (2014). Pengenalan budaya Indonesia melalui pembelajaran BIPA sebagai diplomasi kebudayaan di era global. Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 12(2), 150–162.

Sneddon, J. N. (2003). The Indonesian Language: Its History and Role in Modern Society. UNSW Press.

Suyitno, I. (2007). Pengembangan bahan ajar BIPA berdasarkan analisis kebutuhan belajar. Jurnal Bahasa dan Seni, 35(1), 66–78.

Warschauer, M., & Matuchniak, T. (2010). New technology and digital worlds: Analyzing evidence of equity in access, use, and outcomes. Review of Research in Education, 34(1), 179–225.

Zhao, J. (2011). Slipping power? Chinese language education in a globalized world. Language Culture and Curriculum, 24(2), 181–197.