goodmorningpapua.com-The Deputy Ambassador of the United States for Republic of Indonesia Heather Variava on June 17 released the departure of 24 students from Papua province who received special autonomy scholarships from the provincial government of Papua to study in the United States (US).
The event, which was attended by the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) of Papua Province, Aryoko AF Rumaropen, who represented the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe, signed the continuation of the long-term collaboration between the University of Rhode Island and the Papua provincial government to provide opportunities for Papuan youth to pursue academic degrees in universities in the United States.
Heather Variava expresses gratitude for the Papuan Governor’s commitment to this program and to the President of the University of Rhode Island, Dr David M. Dooley and Director of Education and Business Partnerships for Asia, Brook Ross for making this partnership an example of how US higher education institutions can help Indonesia realize its human capacity development goals across the archipelago.
Last year, 35 scholarship recipients were selected to continue their studies at the University of Rhode Island (URI). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these students will not be able to travel to Rhode Island for the start of the 2020-2021 school year.
In collaboration with the NGO of Papua Language Institute and partners in the United States, Johnson & Wales University and Highline College, the University of Rhode Island is launching a face-to-face and online hybrid education program to provide academic support and help in ensuring students can continue their studies to the United States when conditions improve.
In January 2021, 10 scholarship recipients would have the opportunity to travel to the University of Rhode Island to start learning in the spring in person.
A total of 22 undergraduate students and 2 graduate students are scheduled to depart toward Rhode Island in late June 2021.
They will first travel to Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island to study English and American Culture for a semester in the summer.
Some students are then going to continue their studies in the fall at the University of Rhode Island as sophomores, while others are going to be enrolled in an Associate degree program at Highline College before moving on to either the University of Rhode Island or Johnson & Wales University.