INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Indonesian Participation in the Higher Education

Published: Wed 19 Mar 2008 10:20 AM
VZCZCXRO9039
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0582 0791020
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191020Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8427
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4839
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1676
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2205
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3731
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2512
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0647
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
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
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