Swiss, RI sign education pact

Swiss, RI sign education pact

JAKARTA: Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro and Swiss Ambassador Peter Hollenweger signed two separate memoranda of understanding yesterday on technical cooperation in the area of polytechnic education.

One memoranda concerns the eighth stage of Swiss government aid -- consisting of $1.4 million in the form of expertise, consultancy and staff fellowships -- to the Polyteknik Manufaktur in Bandung, which is closely associated with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

The other concerns the third phase of the Indonesian-Swiss polytechnic project, aimed at developing the Polytechnic Education System. The Swiss government will contribute $2.5 million in the form of technical expertise and staff fellowships over an 18 month period for this phase.

So far Switzerland, through its Development Cooperation office, has provided $17 million for the Bandung Polyteknik Manufaktur project and $19 million for the Polytechnic Education System.(pwn)