Indonesia-Norway Enhance Education Cooperation

Jakarta, 25 Shaban 1437/1 June 2016 (MINA) – Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Affairs, Anies Baswedan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Borge Brende, held a hearing at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Jakarta, Tuesday to increase the initiation and cooperation opportunities for education and culture between the two countries.

Previously, Indonesian-Norwegian cooperation has been conducted in accordance with the Joint Declaration on Cooperation Towards a Dynamic Partnership in the 21th Century between the Indonesian Foreign Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway signed on November 8, 2010. Republika reported.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation was signed on July 3, 2013. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in education between the two states.

Anies Minister said the implementation of this cooperation include Darmasiswa program. “Scholarship to study Indonesian language and culture can be used by citizens of Norway,” he said.

According to the Data Bureau of Planning and Foreign Cooperation Minister of Education and Culture, by May 2016,  the number of foreign students from Norway who is studying in Indonesia tend to fluctuate from year 2011 to 2015. They were as many as 16 students in 2011, then down to 10 students in 2012.

An increase happened in 2014 as 14 students. In 2015, only one Norway student who is studying in Indonesia.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende added that education in Indonesia is progressing very rapidly since the independence of Indonesia in 1945. “I see the impressive progress.” He said.

(LP/ P008/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)