North Maluku Human Capital Investment: Higher Education Scholarship Programme Sends Students to China

PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) together with Weda Bay Nickel (WBN) continues to strengthen its commitment to supporting human resource development through a scholarship programme for students from North Maluku and various regions in Indonesia. From undergraduate studies domestically to opportunities for master’s degrees abroad, IWIP and WBN are working to broaden access to education while cultivating a generation of excellent young people ready to contribute to national development. Since its launch in 2021, the Weda Bay Scholarship Programme has been a tangible form of the company’s contribution to improving human resource quality through higher education access for the youth of North Maluku. The programme specifically targets students from Central Halmahera and East Halmahera regencies who are studying at various universities across Indonesia. To date, at least 92 students have benefited from the Weda Bay Scholarship Programme. IWIP External Relations Manager Lukman Hakim affirmed that education is a crucial long-term investment in preparing the younger generation to face global challenges. One beneficiary, Salsabilah Irwan, a student of the Agrotechnology Study Programme at the Faculty of Agriculture, Khairun University, said the educational assistance significantly eased the burden of tuition fees and motivated her to continue achieving. Beyond the undergraduate programme, IWIP and WBN are also expanding educational reach to the international level. Through cooperation with the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), the company provides full scholarships for master’s degree programmes in China. This programme is focused on metallurgy and materials science, fields highly relevant to the needs of Indonesia’s mineral downstream industry. This strategic move is expected to create local experts with global competence, so that in the future, the region’s own sons and daughters can hold key roles in the operation of strategic industries in the country. Through the synergy between IWIP and WBN, this programme serves as a bridge for Indonesian students to absorb the latest science and technology from one of the world’s best universities in its field. This ongoing commitment demonstrates that the industrial presence in North Maluku is not solely focused on economic aspects, but also delivers a significant social impact through the transformation of human resource quality.