Leadership, Entrepreneurship and
Social Enterprise in Indonesia

The dry season, roughly May to September, is the most comfortable window in both Jakarta and Yogyakarta and gives the clearest conditions for sunrise at Borobudur, where the view of the surrounding volcanoes is the point. December to February is the height of the wet season, with heavy afternoon downpours that slow Jakarta traffic considerably and can obscure the temple views, although programs do run then successfully with the schedule built around it. Temperatures stay warm year round, between roughly 26 and 33 degrees Celsius, so the rain rather than the heat drives the timing decision.

Light, breathable clothing for a hot and humid climate, plus a rain layer in any season. Shoulders and knees must be covered at Borobudur and Prambanan, and sarongs are generally provided at the entrance; sturdy shoes matter because both sites involve a lot of uneven stone steps. Business or smart-casual attire is needed for company visits, which are formal by Australian standards. Pack sun protection and insect repellent, a refillable bottle, and a Type C or F plug adaptor for the 230-volt supply. A light scarf is useful for women visiting more conservative settings.

Most nationalities, including Australian, American, Canadian and British passport holders, can obtain a visa on arrival for tourism or short visits, valid for 30 days and extendable once. It can be bought at the airport or, more efficiently for a group, applied for in advance online as an electronic visa on arrival. Passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and hold blank pages. Indonesia also requires an electronic customs declaration to be completed shortly before landing. Authentica confirms current requirements with the group during planning.

Engagements span global consulting and professional services firms, local startups in waste management, fintech and food logistics, an economic research institution, social enterprises working on sustainable consumption and women’s empowerment, community development organizations, and leadership foundations that train and fund emerging Indonesian leaders. Specific hosts are curated around the faculty’s learning objectives and may vary by cohort. The Jakarta to Yogyakarta leg is flown on an economy ticket included in the fee. Within each city the group uses a private air-conditioned coach, which matters more in Jakarta than most students expect, since congestion routinely turns a short distance into an hour.

The academic spine runs alongside the visits rather than after them. Teams of three to six students research assigned topics and present to the group before departure, on arrival in each city, and ahead of individual sessions. Each team also works on a challenge question, set either by faculty or by a host organization, and researches an answer over the course of the program. Meeting rooms are booked on scheduled academic days, two full days are set aside purely for assignment work, facilitated reflection sessions run in both cities, and the program closes with a formal presentation session.

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah, which runs into large denominations, so it takes a day or two to read prices quickly. Cards and mobile payment work in malls, hotels and established restaurants in both cities, but cash is still necessary for markets, street food, small warungs and village visits. Tipping is not obligatory: mid-range and upper-end restaurants add a service charge, and rounding up or leaving small change is the norm elsewhere. Bargaining is expected at markets and craft stalls but not in fixed-price shops, and it is done good-humouredly rather than aggressively.

Yes. Authentica is a sustainable education provider and a signatory to the CANIE Accord, and sustainability is built into every program rather than added as an option. The carbon offset is included in the program fee and covers the full footprint, so the immersion is delivered carbon neutral. The itinerary keeps flying to a single in-program leg between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, and refillable drinking water is supplied daily in place of single-use plastic bottles. Suppliers and guides are selected against sustainability criteria, the program engages directly with Indonesian social enterprises working on waste, sustainable consumption and community development, and all participants take Authentica’s Sustainable Development in Context course.

A dedicated Authentica Program Manager travels with the group throughout, stays at the same hotel and is available 24x7. The program opens with an orientation and safety briefing covering health, food and water precautions, transport, local customs and daily check-in arrangements, and a group messaging channel keeps everyone reachable. Guidance specific to the destination is included: mosquito-borne illness precautions, bottled or filtered water only, and the monitoring protocol for volcanic activity around Yogyakarta, where Mount Merapi is active and alert levels occasionally affect access to sites. Authentica carries USD 5M Commercial General Liability and USD 1M Errors and Omissions insurance, and institutions can be added as additional insured.