What began in 1996 as the Netherlands Education Centre (NEC), the predecessor of what would later be known as Nuffic Neso Indonesia, has evolved into Nuffic Southeast Asia, connecting educational institutions, governments and industry partners across the Netherlands, Europe and Southeast Asia to build sustainable knowledge infrastructure, the office said in a statement recently.

Over three decades, international education cooperation has evolved considerably. Once centered primarily on scholarships and academic exchanges, it now encompasses institutional development, regional education policies, workforce development, research and innovation.

Throughout this transformation, one principle has remained constant: Meaningful knowledge cooperation begins with people and partnerships.

“In an increasingly interconnected world, knowledge cooperation is a strategic investment. By connecting Dutch expertise with the knowledge, talent and ambitions of partners in Southeast Asia, our project office in Jakarta helps create opportunities for innovation and sustainable development,” Nuffic director general Marco Schouten said, as quoted by the statement.

“Over the past 30 years, the office has evolved alongside the changing needs of our partners, and its regional role will be increasingly important in the years ahead.”

Nuffic's early years in Indonesia focused on making Dutch higher education more accessible to Indonesian students and professionals, while strengthening bilateral educational ties.

“The introduction of the Dutch government's StuNed scholarship program marked an important milestone, supporting thousands of Indonesians in pursuing education and professional development in the Netherlands,” Nuffic said in the statement.

“The legacy extends beyond individual scholarships, with over 5,000 alumni now contributing their expertise across government, academia, business and civil society.”

In 2007, the office became Nuffic Neso Indonesia, reflecting its growing role in educational cooperation.

As regional integration gained momentum, Nuffic’s activities expanded beyond study promotion toward institutional partnerships and policy dialogue.

A significant development was Nuffic's participation in the European Union Support to Higher Education in the ASEAN Region (EU SHARE) program, launched in 2015. Working alongside European and ASEAN partners, SHARE supported higher education harmonization, quality assurance, qualifications frameworks, academic credit transfer and student mobility.

These efforts contributed to ASEAN's ambitions for a more connected higher education landscape, while demonstrating how international partnerships could strengthen educational systems, not merely individual opportunities.

Building on this experience, Nuffic began transitioning toward a broader regional mandate in 2023, culminating in the official launch of Nuffic Southeast Asia on May 7, 2024.

Today, the office in Jakarta manages a portfolio of more than 20 active projects.

Long-standing initiatives such as the Dutch Training and Exposure Program (DUTEP), operating since 2014, demonstrate the value of sustained cooperation.

Platforms such as the Week of Indonesia Netherlands Education and Research (WINNER) and NL Knowledge House further encourage collaboration between Indonesian and Dutch stakeholders.

Meanwhile, initiatives such as Empower Youth4Food and the Netherlands-Southeast Asia Semiconductor Talent Program illustrate the office's growing engagement in sustainable development, innovation and skills development through industry-education collaboration.

The EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package-Higher Education Program (SCOPE-HE) exemplifies Nuffic Southeast Asia's expanding regional responsibilities.

Funded by the EU and implemented by Nuffic in partnership with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), SCOPE-HE builds on earlier cooperation, including EU SHARE and Erasmus+.

The program strengthens connectivity within ASEAN and between ASEAN and the EU through higher education, research, and technical and vocational education and training.

Its activities support academic mobility, institutional partnerships and stronger connections between education and industry, particularly in areas related to the green transition, blue economy and digital transformation.

The progression from SHARE to SCOPE-HE illustrates how sustained partnerships can contribute to stronger regional systems and help prepare institutions and professionals for emerging challenges.

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