EDUCATION #2 - FOLLOW-UP TO THE SECRETARY'S INDONESIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000379 SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/P - AMSlaughter, EAP, ECA, CA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO SCUL OEXC CVIS ID SUBJECT: EDUCATION #2 - FOLLOW-UP TO THE SECRETARY'S INDONESIA VISIT: INCREASING INDONESIAN STUDENTS IN THE U.S. REF: a. 08 JAKARTA 2279 b. Jakarta 373 ¶1. SUMMARY: In Jakarta, Secretary Clinton announced her objective of doubling the number of Indonesian students going to the U.S., increasing university linkages, and pursuing education as a cornerstone of a comprehensive U.S. - Indonesia partnership. The Secretary's comments resonated with both Indonesian officials and civil society. Mission is casting its net far and wide for the best ideas, programs, resources, and projects to carry out the Secretary's objectives. This cable, on doubling the number of Indonesian students in the U.S., is the second in a series over the next weeks outlining some of those ideas and seeking support for these important objectives. END SUMMARY. ¶2. The goal is simple, as stated by the Secretary: double the number of Indonesian students studying in the U.S. USG scholarships, such as Fulbright, as well as GOI or private scholarships, can never reach the level needed to attain this goal. Attracting full tuition-paying students is key. Competition from Australia, the U.K., Singapore and Malaysia is intense, and growing stronger. At a minimum, we need to revamp our student recruitment mechanism, expand Mission officers' education outreach and our use of U.S. alumni associations, and improve EducationUSA's advising services, public relations and recruitment strategy. On the Consular front, we plan to more actively explain visa policy and procedures and seek out more quality Indonesian students. On the commercial front, we must assess the role of brokers/agents to determine how they might be utilized to our benefit. ¶3. In addition, we are exploring other ideas, such as public service film spots, expanded English language programming, distance learning, creative use of specialty programs (film, tourism and fashion),and increased collaboration with private foundations and other stake-holders. SNAPSHOT OF CURRENT STUDENT POPULATION ¶4. The current Indonesian student population in the U.S. of 7,692 offers valuable guidance in our efforts. IIE "Open Doors" statistics for 2007-2008 show that 4,894 or 64% of the current Indonesian students in the U.S. are undergraduate students. Our own student visa statistics show that nine of the top ten schools receiving Indonesian students are community colleges on the West Coast. These community colleges serve as "feeder" institutions from which a majority of the Indonesian students go on to four-year universities for a Bachelor's degree. ¶5. Indonesian students go to community colleges for a variety of reasons, the most obvious being cost - it is simply much less expensive to do two years at a community college. These schools also allow the students to improve sometimes shaky English skills and learn the new study and writing habits and research skills that make for a successful U.S. university experience. College officials at recent job fairs here report that Indonesian students perform extremely well in the U.S. ¶6. According to IIE "Open Doors," the top five fields of study in 2007/08 for international students were business, engineering, physical and life sciences, social sciences, and mathematics/IT. This tracks with our observations of Indonesian students' areas of interest. "Open Doors" also reports that, on average, students pay between $16,000 and $46,500 for tuition and living expenses for an academic year in the U.S. WHAT WE CAN DO ¶6. Based on the above statistics, we have to recruit more students at the undergraduate level, particularly offering the community college experience. Targeting affluent, urban high school students studying in "international standard" schools with better English language skills should be paramount. ¶7. Our current outreach efforts tend to target disadvantaged students in needier schools. For more affluent students, we have relied largely on students finding us, rather than us recruiting them. The Secretary's visit is changing that. EducationUSA, which is based in AMINEF (Fulbright commission),has an Indonesia-only Outreach Coordinator, who is helping us map out a strategy for active recruitment. ¶8. We are also redoubling our efforts to enlist Indonesian alumni of U.S. schools as allies in this effort. CG Surabaya, APP Medan and Jakarta are stepping up our efforts to more systematically use alumni clubs, and we are adding staff to this effort. A number of U.S. institutions actively recruit here, and we need to better partner with them. We will also work to convince other schools which are not recruiting that it is in their interest to tap this huge, emerging market. ¶9. Mission officers must more actively promote U.S. schools to potential students. Consular officers will be especially important in this endeavor. Despite the fact that 78% of students receive visas, there is still a misperception that visas to the U.S. are difficult to obtain. Mission has sent in several cables with recommended improvements in the security advisory opinion (SAO) process, which still needlessly delays good students with no hint of a security problem. We are also looking at the possibility of collaborating with agents to streamline the student visa process from the applicant's point of view, much in the way the Indonesian seafarers program is run. Also, we need to look at the use of new media, as well as radio and television, to reach the youth market. THE COMPETITION JAKARTA 00000379 002 OF 002 ¶10. A number of elements of our plan are already funded and underway. However, to ensure we reach the Secretary's goal, more needs to be done. It is instructive to look at what Australia, our major competitor, does in this area. Not only does the Australian government robustly fund educational advising and recruitment services, it uses other broadcasting, promotion and outreach techniques that we could emulate. For example, more and larger recruiting events, alumni events, special awards for Australian alumni, and better use of the press in getting out the news on students, scholarships and alumni. ¶11. To reach our goal will require additional resources, both staffing and financial. We are developing a comprehensive marketing plan, and will include a specific request for additional support in the near future. ¶12. We are committed to a comprehensive partnership. People-to-people ties are crucial to the success of that partnership, and education is the key to building these relationships. We are already moving ahead, but need more Washington support. HUME