VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #0270 0480933
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170933Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1497

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/PD - RFerguson-Augustus, EAP/MTS, ECA/A/E, ECA/A/E/EAP 
- BBATE, NCAIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO SCUL OEXC ID
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SIGNS NEW FULBRIGHT MOU 
 
¶1.  Mission is pleased to report that on February 16, 2009, a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extending the Fulbright 
scholarship program in Indonesia for five years and creating the 
American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) as a "yayasan" 
(foundation) under Indonesia's new yayasan regulations was signed by 
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume and Indonesian 
Director-General of Higher Education Fasli Jalal. 
 
¶2.  Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo observed the 
signing at the Ministry, and made positive remarks about education 
cooperation between the two countries.  (Both the Minister and the 
Director-General are US-educated.  The Minister and the Ambassador 
serve as AMINEF honorary co-chairs.) 
 
¶3.  Seven AMINEF Board members, including the PAO and CAO, and 
AMINEF Executive Director McCoy and senior program officers, as well 
as a number of representatives from the Ministries of National 
Education and Foreign Affairs and numerous journalists, also 
attended. 
 
¶4.  The Ambassador, Minister and Director-General all made remarks 
about the importance of continuing and expanding the Fulbright 
program and the work of AMINEF, and a brief press conference and a 
reception followed.  Noting that Secretary Clinton would be 
officially visiting Indonesia in a few days, the Ambassador said the 
Embassy is putting increased emphasis on the importance of higher 
education as a key element in our evolving strategic partnership 
with Indonesia.  He said the U.S. welcomes more 
university-to-university institutional partnerships and exchanges, 
and wants to increase the number of scholars going in both 
directions. 
 
¶5.  Post issued a press release and a photo of the signing.  Four 
Jakarta dailies, including leading national daily "Kompas," have 
already carried positive reports of the event.  Stories noted that 
more than 1,500 Indonesians and 600 Americans have had Fulbright 
grants since the Indonesian program began in 1952. 
 
¶6.  Now that we have a long-awaited, new agreement, we will build on 
the momentum and work next on an MOU between AMINEF and the Ministry 
of National Education that would have the Government of Indonesia 
funding some Fulbright scholarships for Indonesians to study in the 
U.S. 
 
HUME