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