Indonesia, Saudi Arabia boost higher education, scholarship ties

Photo caption: Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno (left) and Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal Abdullah Al Amoudi (right) speak to journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday (Sept. 2, 2026). (ANTARA)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian and Saudi Arabia officials discussed student and lecturer exchanges, joint degrees and research, and scholarships to bolster bilateral education cooperation in Jakarta on Wednesday evening.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno said both nations identified several programs for immediate implementation, particularly across higher education institutions.

"We discussed several things that we can do immediately, especially for higher education institutions, such as student exchanges, lecturer exchanges, joint supervision, joint degrees, and joint research," Pratikno said.

Pratikno made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Education Minister Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan, Indonesian cabinet ministers, and university rectors at the residence of Saudi Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal Abdullah Al Amoudi.

The discussions also covered teacher education, capacity building, and expanded scholarship programs, Pratikno noted.

"So in a short time, the scholarships will also be opened directly," he said.

Al-Benyan said Saudi Arabia has more than 1,000 government scholarships available for Indonesians, but only about 50 percent have been utilized so far.

"I remind you that we have more than 1,000 scholarships from our government for the Indonesian government. And so far, maybe only 50 percent have been utilized," he said.

 He added that the remaining scholarships could be accessed through Saudi Arabia's official platforms, without specifying a deadline for application.

Al-Benyan also highlighted that Saudi Arabia boasts around 15 universities ranked among the world's 100 top institutions, including three to five universities ranked among the world's top 10.

Ambassador Al-Amoudi confirmed the 1,000 scholarships are available to Indonesian students across all academic fields.

"The Saudi government provides around 1,000 scholarships for Indonesian students who want to continue their studies. They are open to all fields," he said.

The meeting comes as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia seek to expand cooperation in human resource development, prioritizing higher education, teacher training, and academic exchanges.