WEST JAVA -- OUTREACH AT INDONESIA'S MOST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003083 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/PD, ECA NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SOCI ID SUBJECT: WEST JAVA -- OUTREACH AT INDONESIA'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS PUBLIC UNIVERSITY REF: A. JAKARTA 3058 ¶B. JAKARTA 2241 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: During a November 5 visit to the University of Indonesia (UI),poloff and econoff held a wide-ranging dialogue with about 30 students and faculty. Emboffs engaged the energetic audience in a spirited discussion about U.S. foreign policy and the U.S. presidential race, and used the occasion to underscore the vitality of U.S.-Indonesian relations. Emboffs also met university officials, who reviewed plans to improve UI by making it more globally competitive. END SUMMARY. OUTREACH AT KEY UNIVERSITY ¶2. (U) On November 5, poloff and econoff addressed an energetic group of approximately 30 students and faculty members from the International Relations Department at the University of Indonesia's main campus in Depok, West Java, Indonesia's most populous province. The large Depok campus has 40,000 undergraduate students and sits atop 750 acres of verdant, heavily-forested land (the university has a satellite campus in nearby Jakarta). UI boasts a reputation as Indonesia's most prestigious public university. It has distinguished itself as the country's foremost training ground for international affairs experts. According to Dr. Nurani Chandrawati, the head of UI's International Relations Department, only 10 percent of the applicants for the program are accepted into a Department that has produced many of Indonesia's foreign policy luminaries. U.S.-INDONESIAN COOPERATION ¶3. (U) During the course of the outreach event, emboffs repeatedly emphasized the multi-faceted nature of U.S.-Indonesian relations, stressing the fact that counter-terrorism cooperation represented only one component of the dynamic, expansive friendship shared by the two countries. The students demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the complexity of the relationship and inquired about the potential impact of a new American president on U.S.-Indonesian ties. ¶4. (U) In response to a question about the role of foreign affairs in U.S. presidential elections, emboffs acknowledged the political salience in the U.S. of the Iraq issue and emphasized that the U.S. was committed to working with the Iraqi people to develop a stable government. Emboffs noted that regardless of the outcome of the 2008 election, the USG would continue to support Indonesia's democratic evolution while focusing on the future of the relationship, not the past. When one student highlighted the fact that many Indonesians vocally disagreed with many facets of U.S. foreign policy, emboffs lauded the ability to protest as one of the hallmarks of a vibrant democracy. The very fact that Indonesians could vocalize their concerns served as manifest evidence of the health of Indonesia's democracy. INSTITUTIONAL DIRECTION ¶5. (U) Poloff and econoff joined Mission's public affairs and cultural affairs officers for a meeting with UI's new Rector (the head official at the university),Dr. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri. Dr. Gumilar outlined for emboffs his ambitious plan to develop UI into a world class university. Among his specific ideas was a University of Indonesia--International, which would be a new sub-unit of the school designed to attract more foreign professors and students, and to introduce a more global perspective to the campus. He suggested that if UI was to improve the quality of its education it would have to raise more non-central government funding and become more active with the international community. While the challenges of carrying out such a bold plan in the face of limited resources was daunting, Dr. Gumilar expressed confidence and optimism in his ability to further transform the university. ¶6. (U) Thanking emboffs for their outreach work, Dr. Gumilar noted that as the 2008 U.S. presidential primaries and national election approach, there will be great interest JAKARTA 00003083 002 OF 002 among students in outreach events on the subject. Emboffs affirmed Mission willingness to accommodate any speaking requests. HUME