Indonesia Strengthens Global Education Diplomacy through UNESCO Webinar Series
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is strengthening education and cultural diplomacy through a Webinar Series organised by the Education and Culture Attaché together with the Permanent Deputy Delegation of Indonesia to UNESCO, taking place from 25 April to 5 May 2026.
In the session held on 30 April 2026, the discussion focused on three strategic partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region: Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia.
The event was attended by 108 participants, comprising students, academics, and education stakeholders from various regions.
“This webinar is part of the medium-term strategy to expand access to global education information, strengthen international academic networks, and promote cross-border research and innovation collaborations,” stated the Permanent Representative Office of Indonesia to UNESCO in its release on Friday.
This initiative also aligns with the increasing trend of Indonesian student mobility abroad.
Data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics shows that the number of Indonesian students studying overseas reached approximately 59,224 in 2024, placing Indonesia around 22nd in the world.
The Asia-Pacific region remains one of the main destinations, alongside Australia and Western Europe.
In that session, each education and culture attaché (atdikbud) presented developments in the education system, study opportunities, and potential cooperation in their accredited countries.
The presentations were also supplemented with the latest data on the number of Indonesian students and relevant education policies.
Atdikbud of the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, Cyti Daniela Aruan, explained that Thailand has a population of around 70.3 million with more than 154 higher education institutions that continue to develop through innovative policies such as the Higher Education Sandbox and strengthening collaborations between universities and industry.
Currently, there are about 1,155 Indonesian students in Thailand, both in full programmes and short-term ones. She emphasised that opportunities for cooperation remain wide open.
“We see great potential for Indonesia to expand higher education cooperation, particularly in applied research development and enhancing human resource capacity,” she said.
Meanwhile, Atdikbud of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Nina Yulianti, outlined the characteristics of the Philippine education system, which is structured through three main institutions: DepEd, CHED, and TESDA.
The Philippines, with more than 7,600 islands, provides free education for citizens from primary to public higher education levels, although foreign students are still charged additional fees.
Currently, there are about 300 Indonesian students in the Philippines, mainly in the National Capital Region and Mindanao. She noted that relatively affordable costs and the use of English as the medium of instruction are the main attractions.
“The Philippines offers a combination of cost accessibility and a competitive English-language academic environment, making it a strategic choice for Indonesian students,” she said.
Additionally, Nina added that the Philippine education system is also integrated with international standards through various global rankings such as WURI, THE, UI GreenMetric, and QS Asia University Rankings.
Support for human resource development is also strengthened through internship programmes, community service, and facilitation of professional licences by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), particularly in fields like nursing, which have high global mobility.
In the same session, Atdikbud of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Yuli Rahmawati, affirmed Australia’s position as one of the main destinations for higher education for Indonesian students.
Currently, the number of Indonesian students in Australia has exceeded 30,000.
Australia also has nine universities in the top 100 worldwide according to various global rankings, reflecting internationally competitive high-quality education.
“Australia offers a strong education ecosystem with various scholarship opportunities and research collaborations that can be utilised by Indonesian students and academics to enhance global competitiveness,” she said.
In the webinar discussion, participants asked questions regarding further study opportunities, academic mobility, qualification recognition, and research cooperation schemes.
The forum also served as a space for exchanging relevant information for students and academics considering studies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Through this event, the atdikbuds together with the Permanent Deputy Delegation of Indonesia to UNESCO reaffirmed their commitment to continuously strengthening the quality of Indonesian education through international cooperation based on real needs and strategic opportunities.
This approach not only emphasises increasing student mobility but also the quality of academic collaborations, including joint research, lecturer exchanges, and global-based curriculum development.
The high enthusiasm of participants indicates that interest in global education continues to rise, while also reflecting the need for credible and structured information.
This webinar is expected to serve as a catalyst for the emergence of concrete collaborations between Indonesia and partner countries, while strengthening Indonesia’s position in the increasingly competitive global education ecosystem.