Indonesia seeks to expand university ties with PNG and Solomon Islands

The Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby is encouraging Indonesian public universities to establish academic partnerships with institutions in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands. Arief Kusdwiadnanto, the Education and Cultural Attaché, stated that these collaborations aim to increase the number of students from these nations pursuing higher education in Indonesia.

To facilitate this, an Indonesia Education Exhibition is scheduled for late September 2026 in Port Moresby. The event is intended to connect Indonesian universities with secondary students, government agencies, and potential partners in PNG. The exhibition will highlight study programs, international admission pathways, exchange programs, and joint research opportunities.

Discussions will also focus on various Indonesian government scholarship programs, such as the Indonesian AID Scholarship (TIAS) and the Kemitraan Negara Berkembang (KNB), which cover undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Currently, approximately 100 students from PNG are enrolled in Indonesian universities, including institutions such as Universitas Indonesia and Institut Teknologi Bandung.