AMBASSADOR SIGNS NEW FULBRIGHT MOU

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000270 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/PD - RFerguson-Augustus, EAP/MTS, ECA/A/E, ECA/A/E/EAP - BBATE, NCAIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO SCUL OEXC ID SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SIGNS NEW FULBRIGHT MOU ¶1. Mission is pleased to report that on February 16, 2009, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extending the Fulbright scholarship program in Indonesia for five years and creating the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) as a "yayasan" (foundation) under Indonesia's new yayasan regulations was signed by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume and Indonesian Director-General of Higher Education Fasli Jalal. ¶2. Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo observed the signing at the Ministry, and made positive remarks about education cooperation between the two countries. (Both the Minister and the Director-General are US-educated. The Minister and the Ambassador serve as AMINEF honorary co-chairs.) ¶3. Seven AMINEF Board members, including the PAO and CAO, and AMINEF Executive Director McCoy and senior program officers, as well as a number of representatives from the Ministries of National Education and Foreign Affairs and numerous journalists, also attended. ¶4. The Ambassador, Minister and Director-General all made remarks about the importance of continuing and expanding the Fulbright program and the work of AMINEF, and a brief press conference and a reception followed. Noting that Secretary Clinton would be officially visiting Indonesia in a few days, the Ambassador said the Embassy is putting increased emphasis on the importance of higher education as a key element in our evolving strategic partnership with Indonesia. He said the U.S. welcomes more university-to-university institutional partnerships and exchanges, and wants to increase the number of scholars going in both directions. ¶5. Post issued a press release and a photo of the signing. Four Jakarta dailies, including leading national daily "Kompas," have already carried positive reports of the event. Stories noted that more than 1,500 Indonesians and 600 Americans have had Fulbright grants since the Indonesian program began in 1952. ¶6. Now that we have a long-awaited, new agreement, we will build on the momentum and work next on an MOU between AMINEF and the Ministry of National Education that would have the Government of Indonesia funding some Fulbright scholarships for Indonesians to study in the U.S. HUME