INDONESIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000582 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/PD, EAP/MLS USAID FOR EGAT/HCD: MARTIN HEWITT USAID FOR EGAT/HD/HEW: GARY BITTNER NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID OEXC ID SUBJECT: INDONESIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT ¶1. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Mission believes that Indonesian participation in the upcoming Higher Education Summit for Global Development is vital. We welcome this initiative and request that the USG invite four Indonesian educators to the event. In addition, we request further input regarding the Summit and post-Summit meetings. END ACTION REQUEST. ¶2. (U) BACKGROUND: The Higher Education Summit for Global Development in Washington from April 29-30 can help us advance our education goals in this strategic country. As the third largest democracy in the world and the largest Muslim country by population, Indonesia faces critical challenges in higher education. Despite a population of over 245 million, only about 7,000 Indonesians have doctorates (approximately the same number as in the U.S. Geological Survey). Government figures also show that as many as 40 million people are unemployed or underemployed. ¶3. (U) As civil and religious higher education institutions continue to grow, the demand for U.S.-trained academics and education administrators has increased. The number of Indonesian students studying on U.S. campuses dropped by nearly half in the past nine years. Mission sees the Summit as an excellent opportunity to reinvigorate international education in Indonesia. Indonesians--both in government, education and the private sector--are eager to engage with the United States and other developed countries to come up with new and creative ways to improve their schools and systems. ¶4. (U) Indonesia thus offers fertile ground for achieving the 2008 Summit goal of expanding the role and impact of U.S. and foreign higher education institutions in socio-economic development worldwide. As such, Indonesia should be suitably represented at the Summit. Mission requests four--rather than two--fully paid slots for individuals who have key influence in Indonesia's higher education field to engage with U.S. and other foreign counterparts at the Summit. We recommend that the United States invite those individuals who have the most ability to bring back ideas for all higher education in Indonesia and to put those ideas into effect. ¶5. (U) This means, we recommend including two senior government officials in the area of higher education and senior leadership from two of Indonesia's leading universities. The Indonesian government has indicated they have funds allocated for semester-long exchanges with U.S. institutions in the near future. Inviting senior government officials who are coordinating this effort would support this Indonesian government effort. Another creative possibility would be to invite a small number of private sector leaders at their own expense who support universities directly and push Indonesia's student body to meet international educational standards. ¶6. (U) To facilitate Indonesia's engagement in the ultimate goals of the Summit, Mission also requests further information regarding the post-Summit meeting plans on May 1, ¶2008. We understand that this is the time that leaders from developing country institutions of higher education will have the opportunity to meet their counterparts and expand on links opened at the conference itself. HUME