WANTED: More Indonesian Students Overseas

With more than 60% of the Indonesian population being below 40 years of age, the number of international Indonesian students is minuscule i.e. 36,000 students, which is only about 1% of the total student population. The need for internationalization is essential so a greater number of Indonesians are equipped with wider perspective and inter-cultural sensitivity for Indonesia to sustain its current progress.
For a rapidly developing Indonesia, a highly qualified labor force is crucial to serve as a backbone for sustainable growth and a stronger economy. The demand for higher education to build capacity either at home or abroad is growing fast, making Indonesia potentially a major student market. The British council predicts that Indonesian student population overseas is going to rise by 20 percent annually.
Currently, the top three study destinations for Indonesians abroad are Australia (10,500 students), US (7,500 students), and Malaysia (4,500 students) as stated by the Jakarta Post (2014). These countries are also hungry to have more Indonesian students to attend their higher learning institutions. More...