February 16, 2009 

U.S. Signs New Fulbright MOU with Indonesia

Bahasa Indonesia

Jakarta, February 16 – A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extending the prestigious Fulbright scholarship program in Indonesia for five years was signed today by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron R. Hume and Indonesian Director-General of Higher Education Fasli Jalal.

The MOU recognizes the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) as the binational, nonprofit organization established as a yayasan under Indonesian law to administer Fulbright exchange programs and promote mutual understanding between Indonesia and the U.S. 

Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo and several Board members and representatives of the AMINEF Secretariat attended the ceremony.  The Minister and Ambassador Hume serve as Honorary Co-chairs of AMINEF.  The Board’s membership is half Indonesian and half American.

“By signing this MOU, our two governments have committed themselves to expanding educational cooperation and ensuring the continued excellence of these vital scholarship programs, which have done so much to bring our peoples together and develop human resources,” Ambassador Hume said.  “AMINEF manages one of the largest and longest-running Fulbright programs in the world, and it remains committed to offering valuable exchange opportunities to bright, motivated and deserving scholars.”

“There is no substitute for face-to-face interaction, and Fulbrighters continue to have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on their host communities and share experiences upon returning home,” Ambassador Hume said.

More than 1,500 Indonesians and 600 Americans have had Fulbright grants since the Indonesian program began in 1952.  AMINEF annually awards more than 160 scholarships to Indonesians and Americans to study, teach, or conduct research in a variety of disciplines.  Its diverse programs include Master’s degree programs, the Presidential Scholarship Program (Ph. D. Program), the English Teaching Assistant program, research programs, the Humphrey Fellowship Program for mid-career professionals, and the Community College Initiative Program.

Fulbright, which is the U.S. Government’s flagship international academic exchange program, is named for the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, who was a strong believer in promoting mutual understanding and peace through the exchange of scholars.  Fulbright has programs in more than 150 countries. 

Principal financial support for Fulbright in Indonesia comes from an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State.  The Indonesian Ministry of National Education provides in-kind contributions to support AMINEF programs, which are also supported by the private sector and foundations. 

For more information about AMINEF, please visit www.aminef.or.id. For more information about the U.S. Embassy Jakarta, visit http://jakarta.usembassy.gov.

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