Germany minister visits Indonesian university

"It's very impressive," said Germany's education and research minister Edelgard Bulmahn (right, with handbag), commenting on the Swiss German University in Serpong, West Java.

"Students get good training and qualifications here," she said during her visit to the university campus on Tuesday.

Bulmahn said that the relatively young university, established in 2000, was very well managed and could be a model for future German-influenced universities in the world.

Rector Peter Pscheid (standing to the right of Bulmahn) said that the minister's visit provided moral support for the university's efforts to sustain quality education for its 650 students.

Stefanus Andika, 19, said he decided to go to SGU instead of going abroad because he could obtain education that was comparable in quality at a lower price.

"Classes here are also smaller than at other schools," said Andika. "The professors know our names here."

Although it is an Indonesian university, the SGU works closely with the governments of Austria, Switzerland and Germany, the latter country playing a leading role.

The cost of a semester's tuition at SGU is US$2,200. SGU students also undertake two six-month internships, one in Indonesia and one abroad, with Germany being the most common destination. Students who graduate get two degrees, one issued by SGU and another issued by a German-based university.-- JP(002)