Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry inked a cooperation agreement with the United States Embassy in Indonesia in the education field through the Fulbright scholarship program managed by the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF).
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and the United States Ambassador to Indonesia, Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir, on Wednesday.
"We give the opportunity to Islamic female students to get the Fulbright scholarship under several requirements," Umar remarked.
The Fulbright Program has become the US' main academic exchange program since 1947, with active programs in over 160 countries.
In Indonesia, this program aims to improve the quality of education, promote cultural exchanges, and share insights on society and culture between the two countries.
Umar elaborated that the agreement also includes provisions for the placement of native English-speaking teachers from the United States to teach the language at Islamic schools in Indonesia.
The cooperation also offers the opportunity to send Indonesian lecturers to the US to conduct joint research.
Leaders of Islamic boarding schools can also visit the US for comparative studies, including learning about the development of Muslim civilization in the US.
"However, the field does not have to be Islamic. It can be chemistry, biology, or physics. We need teachers in those fields at our Islamic boarding schools," the minister remarked.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Lakhdhir affirmed that this cooperation is a step to bolster diplomatic relations between both nations and strengthen cultural introduction between Indonesia and the United States by AMINEF scholarship recipients.
"This opens up opportunities for Indonesian academics and students at educational institutions under the Religious Affairs Ministry to study and carry out research in the US," she remarked.
In addition, American academics and students can establish collaborative research or teach with institutions under the Religious Affairs Ministry, she remarked.
