Germany minister visits Indonesian university

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)