Education Fair Encourages Indonesians to Study in United States
Jakarta. Representatives of 52 local universities attended EducationUSA Indonesia Fair 2017 in Jakarta on Tuesday (14/02).
The event is part of efforts by the US Embassy to encourage young Indonesian students to pursue their higher education in the United States.
The fair was officially opened by US Ambassador Joseph Donovan, who said education – particularly an international education – is a great way for people to understand diverse cultures and each another, through a shared learning experience.
"One of my highest priorities as US ambassador is to strengthen partnerships between the United States and Indonesia. One of the most meaningful and productive ways to do this is by building long-term connections through international education exchanges," Donovan told the Jakarta Globe.
The number of international students studying in the United States has surpassed one million, with nearly 9,000 of them being Indonesians.
Paulina Pannen, an expert at Indonesia's Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, said higher education is one of the things that bind the two countries together.
"The alumni of US higher education have so much influence on Indonesia – socially, economically and politically," Paulina said.
Paulina acknowledged that there are concerns among Indonesian students who wish to pursue their higher education in the United States, such as affordability and entry requirements.
However, she said she is convinced that Indonesian students will be able to pass the entry requirements, while applying for scholarships available to Indonesians can address the affordability issue.
EducationUSA also hosted a session in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday, with another scheduled for Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday.
The fair is open to the public and entry is free. Representatives of several US universities, including Johns Hopkins University, University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State University, are participating in the event.
EducationUSA has offices across Indonesia and many of its services are accessible online through its website.
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