Sampoerna offers scholarships for talented students

Sampoerna offers scholarships for talented students

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Concerned about the increasing flight of Indonesian scientists
and researchers overseas, the Sampoerna Foundation, in
cooperation with the government, is offering academic
scholarships for exemplary, but underprivileged, students to
senior high schools and universities both at home and abroad.

The scholarships are not binding, but recipients are expected
to continue their studies at home and dedicate their expertise
toward national development.

Elan Merdy, operation director of the Sampoerna Foundation,
told The Jakarta Post by telephone on Friday that the foundation
had provided scholarships to thousands of senior high school
students and hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate students
at prestigious universities at home and abroad.

As of last month, the foundation -- established in 1991 by
tobacco giant PT Sampoerna -- had granted scholarships to 4,725
students at 1,700 senior high schools nationwide, and 87
undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Elan said that he could understand why many Indonesian
students have sought scholarships from developed countries such
as the United States, Japan and the European countries -- not
only did students see such programs as an opportunity to develop
their skills and talents, but they also did not foresee that
working conditions in the country would improve amid the
prolonged economic and political crises.

"Even worse, many experts are living in the U.S. and other
developed countries because they cannot live in peace and
prosperity here," he said, saying such experts lived a good life
overseas because they were paid high for their knowledge and
skills.

As part of its educational campaign, Sampoerna is also
sponsoring the 2003 National Science Olympiad to be held in the
South Kalimantan capital of Balikpapan from Sept. 15-19, to seek
talented students to be trained as future scientists and
researchers.

Olympiad coordinator Suharlan said the scientific contest,
which is open to university students, would provide four winning
students each with a Rp 40 million (US$4,705) scholarship to
cover their educational and living costs.

"Our main aim is to find talented students and motivate them
use their knowledge and expertise to help develop the nation," he
said.