ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) together with partners Arizona State University (ASU) hosted the 2023 STEM Conference (STEMCON), on November 29 2023.
STEMCON brings together policymakers, university leaders, and industry representatives to shape the next generation of Indonesia’s workforce by exploring educational topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Indonesia.
“The United States has a long history of supporting higher education partnerships in Indonesia,” said USAID Indonesia Director Jeff Cohen, quoted on Sunday, December 3 2023.
“By bringing together government agencies, universities in Indonesia and America, and private companies, this conference lays the foundation for increasing Indonesia’s STEM workforce to meet Indonesia’s needs and overcome global challenges,” he explained.
With the theme “Increasing the STEM Workforce through US and Indonesian partnerships in the public and private sectors,” this conference will accelerate collaboration between universities and companies in the United States and Indonesia, providing a forum for sharing ideas to achieve Indonesia’s goal of increasing knowledge and technology for the workforce.
Speakers from America and Indonesia emphasized the importance of creating broad and innovative partnerships to bridge the skills gap in recruiting in STEM fields.
Quality Assurance Coordinator of the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Kevin Marbun emphasized the importance of collaboration and stated that universities play an important role in developing the future generation of STEM professionals.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to USAID, Arizona State University, and the USAID HEPI program for their steadfast commitment to hosting this event and to encouraging collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in the STEM landscape,” he said.
USAID and ASU’s Higher Education Partnership Initiative (HEPI) focuses on STEM partnerships and pathways that connect several universities in the US with three university hubs in Indonesia, 16 affiliated universities, and ten corporate partners to address STEM education challenges and improve curriculum and teaching methods —ensuring a ready supply of graduates to meet industry needs.
“The HEPI program provides an opportunity for higher education in Indonesia to foster an ecosystem that encourages collaboration between industry and universities by helping students explore experiential learning in the STEM field,” said Jeffrey S Goss, Associate Vice Provost from Arizona State University.
“STEMCON is the main activity of the HEPI program to create a community of practice for higher education in the STEM field and become a forum for exchanging ideas and building new relationships and partnerships,” he added. (AT Network)
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