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