EU and Indonesia Deepen Higher Education Ties at 18th Annual EHEF Fair
- Strengthening Ties: The European Union and Indonesia have reinforced their higher education partnership through the 18th European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) in Jakarta.
- Mobility & Funding: Over 10,000 Indonesian students and researchers are currently pursuing studies across EU member states, supported by more than 1,000 annual European scholarships as well as domestic programs like LPDP.
- Global Gateway Alignment: EU leadership emphasized education as a cornerstone of its Global Gateway strategy, aiming to foster innovation, skills development, and reciprocal academic exchange.
JAKARTA, INDONESIAN POST — The European Union and Indonesia are bolstering their higher education cooperation through the 18th European Higher Education Fair, held in Jakarta on Saturday and Sunday.
Beny Bandanadjaja, director of learning and student affairs at Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, underscored the vital role of academic cooperation in providing young people with access to global information and international networks.
“Cooperation between Indonesian and European higher education institutions offers students the opportunity to gain international academic experience, broaden their horizons, and establish networks,” Bandanadjaja said during the opening remarks on Saturday.
Hervé Delphin, the EU ambassador to Indonesia, emphasized that the bloc attaches great importance to its strategic partnership with Indonesia in higher education.
“In line with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, we remain committed to investing in people, skills, research, and innovation to build trusted and enduring partnerships,” Delphin said.
The EU and its member states provide more than 1,000 scholarships annually to Indonesian students. In 2025, more than 10,000 Indonesians were pursuing academic degrees and research projects across the EU.
“EHEF offers an important platform for prospective students to engage directly with European universities and to explore the many academic and scholarship opportunities available in Europe,” Delphin added.
He noted that education remains pivotal for ensuring equal access to skills and knowledge, thereby driving employment, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable economic growth.
“This has been a reciprocal exchange between Indonesia and Europe,” Delphin said, expressing confidence that the partnership will flourish as academic communities on both sides deepen their engagement.
“This partnership aims to strengthen higher education, deepen understanding between Europe and Indonesia, and foster collaboration across various sectors to address global challenges,” he said.
Prior to the Jakarta event, the fair took place in Yogyakarta on Nov. 4, attracting more than 5,000 visitors.
The Jakarta leg features 92 higher education institutions representing 14 EU member states. Indonesian government-funded initiatives, including the Endowment Fund for Education and the Beasiswa Garuda scholarship program, are also participating.
Since 2021, the EU-funded Erasmus+ program has played a key role in cementing bilateral educational ties through exchange programs and institutional capacity building.
The program has supported 1,089 student and staff mobilities from Indonesia to the EU, alongside 1,182 mobilities from the EU to Indonesia.
Under the EU’s Union of Skills initiative, Erasmus+ aims to attract at least 350,000 international students to European institutions by 2030.
