IO – Defined as more than just a celebration, National Education Day is an important moment for one of the best international standard higher education institutions in Indonesia, Sampoerna University, working together with the Danacita education funding platform to start a new synergy in the form of an innovative partnership. Through this partnership program, Indonesia’s younger generation has greater access to the best higher education, as well as the opportunity to hone 21st-century skills and participate in two-degree programs, thus giving birth to future leaders with higher global competitiveness.
From the 2020 Population Census, Indonesia is experiencing a demographic bonus, with a productive age numbering 191 million people or 70.72 percent of the total population. Through a National Labor Force Survey conducted by Statistics Indonesia in February 2020, it was also found that the total workforce in Indonesia was 137.91 million, with only 14.2 million or 10.3 percent having a background in higher education.
On the other hand, the unemployment rate in Indonesia has also increased. The 2020 ASEAN Key Figures published by the ASEAN Secretariat show that Indonesia has the second-highest unemployment rate in Southeast Asia. Finally, Indonesia’s CORE (Center of Reform on Economics) has just published a new finding that Indonesia’s youth unemployment rate is the highest in Southeast Asia.
Responding to this situation, Head of Recruitment at Sampoerna University, Lorensia Soegiarto said, “It is undeniable that the last level of education is one of the main qualifications when entering the world of work. Therefore, in this month of education, Sampoerna University strengthens its commitment to continue to encourage the birth of high-quality young Indonesians by providing the best international-standard education and equipping students with 21st-century skills so that in the end they have a greater chance of success while competing with other global workers.”
“Our big mission is Making Education Affordable, which is in line with Sampoerna University’s commitment to producing quality young generations. Therefore, we are very pleased and proud to welcome Sampoerna University as our newest partner in realizing this mission. We hope that through this collaboration, Sampoerna University students will focus more on learning to achieve their goals. Meanwhile, concerning the cost of education, Danacita is always ready to be relied on as a solution. We hope that every young generation, especially Sampoerna University students, can achieve the best education in Indonesia,” said Alfonsus Wibowo, Director of Danacita.
With an innovative partnership from Sampoerna University and Danacita, students and prospective students can more easily continue their education to a higher level in the Sampoerna University Undergraduate program with options to study Business, Engineering and Technology, and Education. In partnership with The University of Arizona, which ranks #40 in Top Public Schools in the United States, Sampoerna University has opened a Two-Degree Program which allows students to obtain two undergraduate degrees from Sampoerna University and The University of Arizona. To complete this program, students do not need to leave Indonesia.
What’s special is that apart from not having to pay higher living costs in the United States, the tuition fees charged by Sampoerna University students are in-state tuition. This means that students do not have to pay a much more expensive international student rate. In addition, this program also provides valuable opportunities, including foreign language skills and experience interacting with students from other countries which will make them better-prepared to work in a multinational environment or company.
“We hope that this partnership program can have a big impact in reducing the youth unemployment rate in Indonesia, creating the best-quality future young generation who are ready to compete in the global realm,” Lorensia concluded. (rp)