Indonesia's first virtual university starts enrolling students

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's first multimedia and Internet-based virtual university, which provides lectures and tutorials through the Internet, has started enrolling students.

The Indonesian Bangkit University Teledukasi (IBUTeledukasi) offers both undergraduate and graduate programs on information technology, information systems, information technology management and business administration.

"We are making a breakthrough by promoting low-cost education and preparing the nation to face global challenges," Adi Sasono, cofounder and chairman of the board of directors of the university, told reporters at the formal launching of the university last Friday.

The university is run by Perhimpunan Bangkit Indonesia, a non- governmental organization under the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), in cooperation with Malaysia's University of Tun Abdul Razak (Unitar), the first virtual college in Malaysia.

Adi, a former cooperatives minister, said most of the lectures would be given through cyberspace, while students could consult their tutors using the Internet's chatting facility.

Le Ikhsan K Amin, customer service manager of IBUTeledukasi told The Jakarta Post last Friday that the cost of studying at the university was relatively cheap compared to prominent private universities. "Students, for example, are not required to pay a building maintenance fee," he said.

He said the four-year undergraduate program at IBUTeledukasi would cost students around Rp 16 million, while at other private universities it cost between Rp 20 million and Rp 40 million.

According to Le Ikhsan, at least 30 people have enrolled at Ibuteledukasi through its office in Menteng, Central Jakarta, while another 1,500 people have enrolled through Unisula in Semarang.

Interested parties can also enroll online through the university's website www.ibuteledukasi.com, starting mid August. (07)