Sumitro to get doctoral degree

JAKARTA (JP): The Erasmus University of Rotterdam in the Netherlands will award an honorary doctoral degree in November to a senior Indonesian economist, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, for his distinguished contribution to economics.

Mohammad Sadli, an economist and a former minister of mines and energy, said yesterday that according to a statement sent to him by professor Sijbren Cnossen of the university's school of economics, the honorary degree will be awarded during the university's anniversary in Rotterdam on Nov. 8.

Sadli said that Sumitro's contributions to economics in the form of books and articles -- written both in English and in Indonesian -- have been appraised by Erasmus University as having a high standard of scientific analysis.

Last year, Sumitro finished a book called The Evolution of Economic Thoughts.

Sumitro, born on May 29, 1917, held two ministerial posts under late president Sukarno -- minister of industry and trade and minister of finance -- and two ministerial posts under Soeharto -- minister of trade and state minister of research and technology.

Sumitro, who has been labeled the "guru of Indonesian economics", acquired his economics degree from the Netherlands Economics Institute in 1943 and began his teaching career at the University Indonesia soon after.

Besides being a member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences, he is also an honorary professor in economics at the University of Indonesia.

Sumitro was a member of the Indonesian delegation to the Round Table Conference in The Haag in 1947, which produced an agreement on the withdrawal of Dutch colonial rule from Indonesia.

Sumitro is the founder of the Association of Indonesian Economists. He is known as an impartial and independent thinker, according to the statement from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. (31/hen)