JAKARTA – Thirty-seven Indonesians received scholarships to pursue advanced degrees in the United States and Indonesia through a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) program. The scholarships and other U.S. education programs are part of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, a commitment made by Presidents Barack Obama and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010 to increase cooperation and deepen ties between the two nations.
“The United States’ top priority in Indonesia is education,” said USAID/Indonesia Acting Deputy Mission Director Nancy Fisher-Gormley. “USAID is proud to support the 37 new scholars who are among the future leaders of Indonesia. We know that upon graduating from their masters and doctorate programs, they will return to Indonesia to contribute to the nation’s advancement and prosperity.”
The scholarships recipients were chosen from more than 1,300 applicants from across Indonesia for their high academic performance, professional experience, and dedication to improving the lives of others in Indonesia. They will pursue degrees in the field of economics, democracy and governance, environment, health and education.
USAID’s Program to Expand Scholarships to Achieve Sustainable Impacts (PRESTASI), a $25 million program, provided scholarships for more than 80 Indonesians since 2008. This is one of the many USAID student exchange programs in Indonesia that help individuals, organizations, and institutions acquire the knowledge, skills, and capacity to support Indonesia’s on-going development.