The Federal Government has announced $2.5 million in funding to expand Asian language education across Australia, targeting students in Years 7 to 12 through community language schools.
The investment, delivered under the Fluency in Asian Languages program, will be shared among nine organisations across Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It forms part of a broader $25 million Community Language Schools program aimed at lifting participation, retention and fluency outcomes among secondary students.
The funding will support learning in more than 15 Asian languages, including Hindi, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Tamil, Punjabi and Vietnamese, alongside others such as Bengali, Gujarati, Indonesian and Thai. It will also back curriculum development and teaching resources, while strengthening the operational capacity of community language schools.
Projects led by institutions such as Macquarie University, the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University are expected to deliver national-level outcomes, particularly in improving access and quality of language education.
Penny Wong said the initiative reflects a broader strategic need for Australia to deepen its engagement with Asia.
“Australia’s interests demand we engage in the region more consistently and more deeply,” she said.
“When young Australians learn Asian languages, they can build the trust, relationships and capability to engage in our region more effectively.
The funding will support learning in more than 15 Asian languages, including Hindi, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Tamil, Punjabi and Vietnamese, alongside others such as Bengali, Gujarati, Indonesian and Thai
“This is all about giving the next generation of Australians the ability to succeed in the communities and region that will shape our nation’s future.”
Anne Aly said community language schools remain central to Australia’s multicultural framework and play a role in maintaining cultural identity.
“Community language schools are central to multicultural Australia, giving young people the opportunity to stay connected to their heritage while gaining skills that will benefit them for life,” she said.
“Language skills are a national asset. They create opportunity for young people, strengthen cultural understanding and help build the workforce Australia needs for the future.
“Community language schools make an extraordinary contribution to our nation, keeping language and culture alive while helping shape a more connected and capable Australia.”
Julian Hill linked the funding to Australia’s long-term economic outlook and regional ties.
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“Australia’s future prosperity depends on our ability to engage confidently with our region – the fastest-growing region in the world. At the election we committed to invest $5 million to support more students, regardless of their background, to become fluent in Asian languages throughout their high school years,” he said.
“This investment recognises the dedication of teachers, volunteers and families who work every week to keep languages, cultures and community connections strong.
“Having more Australians capable of speaking the languages of our largest trading partners and neighbours is a huge benefit to our nation, opening further employment opportunities and career paths for students, and growing economic ties with our friends and neighbours across our region.”
The announcement follows concerns about declining participation in Asian language learning in recent years, which has been linked to reduced national capability in engaging with key regional partners.
Since 2023, the federal government has committed $40.6 million to support community language schools, with an additional $5 million set aside to help more students continue language study through to Year 12 and achieve fluency.
The latest funding is expected to expand access, improve retention and strengthen Australia’s cultural and economic connections across Asia, as policymakers continue to position language skills as a workforce and national capability priority.
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