France offers more access to education

France offers more access to education

Compared to other foreign destinations of study,
France appears to be one of the least favorite places among
Indonesians despite the fact that it has opened many cultural
centers across the country, diplomats say.

Indonesian Education and Cultural Attache to France Yanto
Santosa said on Monday that only 279 Indonesian nationals pursued
a higher education in France last year.

He was speaking at a media conference at the French Embassy on
Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta. Also present was French Ambassador
to Indonesia Herve Ladsous and EduFrance Mission chief Dominique
Robert.

Robert said that the number of Indonesians studying in France
was far fewer that in Germany, Australia and the Netherlands. The
French cultural center has opened centers in major Indonesian
cities such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan,
Padang, Balikpapan, Denpasar and Bogor.

In a bid to give Indonesian students more access to higher
education in France, both the governments of Indonesia and France
signed a bilateral agreement on Feb. 6 on educational and
cultural cooperation.

Under the agreement, Indonesians will be able to enroll in 36
universities in France in the near future.

Robert said the French government offered scholarship for 50
post graduate and doctorate students annually. Most universities
in France are state-owned with accredited national certificates.
-- JP