120 Indonesian students on StuNed Day 2012

The event was held at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague.

StuNed is a scholarship programme focusing on mid-career professionals, as part of the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands. The programme is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by Nuffic through Nuffic Neso Indonesia.

The overall objective of StuNed is to strengthen bilateral relations and institutional capacity in Indonesia. Since 2001 more than 3,000 scholarships have been awarded to Indonesian citizens to study at a Dutch higher education institution. 

Students, Embassy and Neso staff in front of the Indonesian Embassy (during StuNed Day 2012)

Historical bond

In his welcoming speech of StuNed Day 2012, the Vice Ambassador, Umar Hadi pointed out that studying in Holland has recently become more popular among the Indonesian people.

He stated that the Netherlands not only offers high-quality education, but also has a strong historical bond with Indonesia. Mr Hadi also highlighted the important role the students are playing as ambassadors who can help to build mutual understanding and an even more cohesive relationship between the two countries. 

Mervin Bakker, Director of Nuffic Neso Indonesia, also paid attention to the special relationship between the two countries.

Furthermore, he said that the experience of the students in the Netherlands would probably not only lead to more academic knowledge and a degree certificate, but also to a better understanding of other cultures and the ability of StuNed graduates to see things from different perspectives.

Highlight of the day

The programme included a presentation on the activities of Nuffic Neso Indonesia and, one of the highlights of the day, a sketch by a group of students about the dynamic life of an Indonesian student in Holland.

The afternoon was spent on group discussions among the students about programme quality and the services provided by the universities and Nuffic Neso Indonesia. Although these discussions were conducted in a very casual way, some important points for the improvement of the StuNed programme were extracted.   

For Nuffic Neso Indonesia StuNed Day 2012 served to evaluate and monitor the programme and get ideas to further improve its management of the programme. It also provided an opportunity to remind the students that they will soon become Holland alumni and to tell them about the Holland Alumni Network.