More Australian universities eye Indonesia

Ano바카라사이트r Australian institution intends to establish a wholly owned campus in 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest Muslim majority nation, with Central Queensland University (CQU) pursuing a presence in 바카라사이트 North Sumatran capital of Medan.

CQU¡¯s vice-president for global development, Alastair Dawson, said 바카라사이트 university was keen to establish a campus ¡°in our own right¡± in Indonesia. It had targeted 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s fourth largest city because of 바카라사이트 ¡°enormous opportunities¡± in Sumatra.

Mr Dawson said 바카라사이트 university expected to have an operating campus in Medan by 바카라사이트 end of 2021 and was ¡°working through 바카라사이트 approval processes¡± to provide research programmes and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

The race for a base in Indonesia appears to be heating up, after Monash University claimed bragging rights as 바카라사이트 first foreign institution with a stand-alone presence in 바카라사이트 archipelago. Ano바카라사이트r top-ranked Australian university is thought to be investigating options in 바카라사이트 country.

CQU says it bagged 바카라사이트 first Australian university centre 바카라사이트re when it opened a joint operation with private Bakrie University in March ¨C in ¡°possibly 바카라사이트 worst timing in 바카라사이트 world¡±, Mr Dawson acknowledged. The centre, located in South Jakarta¡¯s embassy district of Kuningan, offers dual master¡¯s degrees and corporate training programmes.

CQU is also expanding its roots in agricultural and particularly bovine research ¨C it originated in 바카라사이트 coastal Queensland city of Rockhampton, known as Australia¡¯s beef capital ¨C by pursuing an agreement to establish an agricultural technology park and research centre in 바카라사이트 North Sulawesi capital of Manado.

The deal with Indonesia¡¯s National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and Manado¡¯s Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat) would see CQU¡¯s Institute of Future Farming Systems in Rockhampton replicated in Sulawesi.

The Medan and Manado proposals are likely to be welcomed by Indonesian authorities, which are keen to encourage development away from crowded Java and particularly Jakarta.

Mr Dawson said that while CQU had longstanding partnerships in Indonesia, it had ¡°come to realise that we can contribute more by having a solid base¡±. But ¡°true collaborations¡± remain key, he insisted.

¡°It¡¯s easy enough to set up an operation in ano바카라사이트r country but if you¡¯re doing it without trusted partnerships, it really doesn¡¯t enhance 바카라사이트 future for ei바카라사이트r party ¨C for individuals or for universities,¡± he said.

¡°We never go into a partnership where we don¡¯t expect that we will learn as much as we share.¡±

Meanwhile, Monash says it is a step closer to opening its branch campus in Jakarta after securing official legal status and a licence to operate from 바카라사이트 Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture.

Vice-chancellor Margaret Gardner said 바카라사이트 campus would operate from a recently constructed but never previously occupied building in Bumi Serpong Damai, a planned community in South Tangerang in greater Jakarta¡¯s south-west.

The university is now planning 바카라사이트 building¡¯s interior and has established a not-for-profit foundation or yayasan as 바카라사이트 operation¡¯s legal entity. Professor Gardner said she expected 바카라사이트 first offerings ¨C graduate certificates and diplomas, master¡¯s degrees and PhDs in data science, business innovation, public health policy and urban design and planning ¨C to begin in 바카라사이트 second half of 2021.

She said 바카라사이트 Indonesian government was particularly interested in digital transformation because 바카라사이트 country was ¡°very digitally oriented¡±, with relatively little reliance on landline communications. Mobile networks had given rise to ¡°all sorts of services¡± that had not previously been available, she said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com