Indonesia, Hong Kong to Boost Cooperation on Education
Jakarta. Officials from Indonesia and Hong Kong have signed an agreement on education cooperation, including boosting scholarships, workshops and student and teacher exchanges.
“The MOU marks an important milestone in the partnership and enhanced relationship between Hong Kong and Indonesia, and signifies a new stage of our closer co-operation in the field of education,” Kevin Yeung, Hong Kong’s under-secretary for education, said in a statement received by the Jakarta Globe on Monday.
“With continuous support from the governments and educational sectors of both places, I have confidence that the MOU will facilitate more comprehensive exchange and collaboration on education between the two places,” he added.
Yeung and Didik Suhardi, the secretary general of Indonesia’s Education Ministry, signed the memorandum of understanding in Jakarta last Wednesday. The agreement provides a strategic collaboration framework between the education communities of Hong Kong and Indonesia.
Some follow-up initiatives that can be pursued include the provision of scholarships to students; exchange of knowledge; conferences and workshops; exchange of literature on education; teaching aids; and exchange of scholars, teachers, experts and other education personnel.
In its statement, the Hong Kong government also announced the launch of the Hong Kong Scholarship for “Belt and Road” Students from Indonesia, with aims to attracting outstanding Indonesian students to pursue undergraduate studies in the special administrative region.
“Up to 10 scholarships will be offered to Indonesian students who are enrolled in publicly funded degree programs in Hong Kong each year starting from the 2016/17 academic year. All awardees will receive a scholarship of up to HK$120,000 [$15,480] per annum to cover tuition fees,” the statement said.
“In addition, a bursary of HK$50,000 per student per annum will be provided from private donation to financially needy awardees who need additional support to pursue their study in Hong Kong.”
Details of the new scholarship scheme are available on the website of the Hong Kong Education Bureau.
C.Y. Leung, the Hong Kong chief executive, met Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta in September, with both sides agreeing to step up cooperation in different areas, including education, to enhance bilateral ties between Hong Kong and Indonesia.
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