I

n an increasingly globalized world, access to high-quality education that transcends geographical borders may be just what the next generation of skilled professionals needs.

At Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, special programs are designed to provide students with the best learning experience, at home and abroad. Its international undergraduate program boasts partnerships with universities in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and the United States. Students will start out in Yogyakarta and stay for at least four semesters before heading to a partnering university abroad. Upon graduation, they will receive bachelor'€™s degrees from Gajah Mada as well as from the overseas institution.

'€œThe benefit of our program is that we provide international exposure for students,'€ said Wida Herdiana, staff at the International Affairs Office of UGM'€™s School of Economics and Business. At her department, management is a favorite major, and students have several foreign business schools to choose from. The list includes the Rotterdam School of Management and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences in Germany and the University of Melbourne and continues to expand.

 '€œDuring their four years of studies, students may opt for double-degree programs, exchanges, summer schools or register for business competitions. At any rate, they must be exposed to a global environment. This is the kind of flexibility that makes us different,'€ says Herdiana.

 With tuition fees for international undergraduate programs averaging at Rp 300 million (US$26,500), schools are encouraging parents and students alike to look beyond the hefty price tag and focus on the long-term benefits.

'€œOur curriculum is different from that of local universities. We prioritize intensive learning in our classrooms and urge our students to work on their analytical thinking. They'€™re also well prepared in terms of soft skills, such as public presentations,'€ said Dewi Arina Munandar, admissions staff at the Swiss German University in Tangerang. Here too, students begin by attending courses at the home campus before heading to Germany or Switzerland for internships. German is a required course, while English is the official language used for teaching. Upon graduation, students will receive dual degrees. The university also offers postgraduate programs, fashioned in a similarly international setting.

Education partnership

In testament to its popularity, recently there have been more local universities that have partnered with schools in other countries to allow students to graduate with two different degrees simultaneously. Despite the expensive tuition, the programs have continued to attract students.

 '€œSince the beginning of our program in 2000, we'€™ve had a steady increase in the number of students, not only from Jakarta but also from other cities in Indonesia,'€ said Munandar. Right now, the number stands at around 300 students in the undergraduate program and between 60-80 students in the postgraduate program.

 Innovative education partnerships have also developed into a popular means of development cooperation. Following President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s 2012 state visit to the United Kingdom, a doctoral-training partnership was established between the University of Indonesia and Newcastle University. The program aims to train 40 Indonesian doctors every year in the area of biomedical research.

It also adds to a long-established partnership between the two schools. In 2013, a joint doctoral PhD program in biomedical sciences was launched and saw the first cohort of Master of Research and PhD students enroll in the same year, according to Professor Barry Hirst, Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Director of the Graduate School in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University. (Sondang Grace Sirait)