RI, Australia to work together

JAKARTA (JP): The governments of Indonesia and Australia have agreed to establish a joint working group to coordinate and supervise cooperation between universities in the two countries.

The agreement, signed on Monday by Director General of Higher Education Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro representing Indonesia and Ian Chubb, the president of Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee (AVCC), says the group will consider and approve the program of cooperative activities, including funding and contribution, as agreed by the two governments.

"This arrangement is important as up to now the cooperation between universities has been conducted individually," Satryo said after the signing of the agreement.

AVCC is the council of Australian university presidents.

The arrangement also covers the forms and fields of cooperation.

The forms of cooperation under the arrangement should cover information sharing, human resources development, exchange of programs and other forms which may be agreed by the two parties from time to time.

The fields of cooperation include exchange of staff, students and researchers and mutual recognition of qualifications and university management.

According to Satryo, every Indonesian university which cooperates with Australian universities has to report the agreement between them and any progress that has been made to the joint group.

"The main purpose of this arrangement is to measure our capability and to improve the quality of our universities," he said. (09)