R 080858Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2076

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000644 
 
 
STATE FOR S/P, EAP/PD - RFERGUSON-AUGUSTUS, EAP - MARCIEL, EAP/MTS, 
ECA/A/S/A - DMORA, ECA/A/E/EAP - WBATE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL ID
SUBJECT: U.S.-Indonesia Higher Education Partnership Ready for 
Implementation 
 
REF: A) Jakarta 373 B) Jakarta 379 C) Jakarta 460 D) Jakarta 519 E) 
Jakarta 613 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: In February in Jakarta, the Secretary pledged to 
expand our bilateral educational relationship and tasked the Mission 
to seek Indonesian input.  On April 6, Ambassador Hume met a key 
Government of Indonesia education official to seek his input on the 
proposed higher education partnership strategy.  The education 
official endorsed the outline of our draft strategy and pledged to 
work with us. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On April 6, Ambassador Hume presented the Mission's ideas 
for a U.S.-Indonesia higher education partnership to the Director 
General for Higher Education, Mr. Fasli Jalal.  The Ambassador asked 
the DG for his input on the four elements of the partnership: 
namely, improving English-language teaching; improving teacher 
education; marketing U.S. universities; and building U.S.-Indonesia 
educational partnerships.  The DG endorsed these four elements of 
our partnership and assured that the Ministry of Education was 
prepared to cooperate.  The Ambassador and the DG agreed that these 
activities would work best as a mutually beneficial partnership of 
equals. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The DG agreed that better English-language teaching is 
vital for Indonesian students entering high-quality university 
programs in the U.S.  To increase English fluency, the Government of 
Indonesia directed that there be at least one "international 
standard" elementary, secondary, and polytechnic public school in 
every Indonesian region, with heavy emphasis on English-language 
classes.  The Mission's proposal to increase the quality and 
quantity of English-language instruction in Indonesian at all levels 
will dovetail perfectly with the Ministry's efforts.  The DG 
recommended that the Mission place English-language instructors 
(such as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, Peace Corps 
Volunteers, or private foundation fellows) at these designated 
"international standard" schools. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The DG said the Ministry would welcome any U.S. effort to 
improve teacher education, including distance learning, computer 
training, and partnering with U.S. companies to increase computer 
access in Indonesian schools.  He explained that Indonesia has 2.7 
million teachers who need training in areas like information 
technology.  To that end, the Mission is bringing a U.S. Speaker in 
June to advise the Ministry on using technology in the classroom. 
The DG confirmed that the Ministry was working with the Sampoerna 
Foundation on teacher education and endorsed U.S. cooperation with 
the Foundation (ref. E). 
 
¶5. (SBU) The DG was particularly interested in the Mission's 
proposal to build U.S.-Indonesian educational partnerships.  The DG 
agreed on the importance of these partnerships in fostering 
exchange, expanding joint research, creating joint degree programs, 
and developing science and technology research. The Ambassador 
emphasized that university partnerships must be mutually beneficial. 
 He said that American students and academics benefit greatly by 
interacting with Indonesians in the U.S., but equally important is 
for Americans to come to Indonesia to study and conduct research. 
The Ambassador and the DG agreed that creating university 
partnerships will increase both the number of Indonesians studying 
in the U.S. and the number of Americans studying in Indonesia. 
 
HEFFERN