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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Welcome to State Islamic University

Students from nine universities in the United States visited Jakarta on Thursday to learn about Islamic teachings and culture from Muslim communities at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN).

The students came from Chatham University, Cascadian Community College, SUNY Plattsburg, the Institute of International Education, Shoreline Community College, St Edward University, Fairfield University, State University of New York and St Michael's College.

Sixteen students visited the UIN campus on Jl. Raya Ciputat, Tangerang, on Thursday afternoon to learn how Islamic education methods are applied at the university.

"We come to learn about the Islamic education system and methods applied by the Islamic community here because we realize that Islam is very rich in culture," the president of Chatham University Esther L. Barrazone said.

Barrazone said she was very pleased to learn about Islam at UIN and if the current system could be developed into a collaboration with the U.S. universities, it would bring progress to Islam itself.

William Christopher, the president of Cascadian Community College, said building an inter-cultural collaboration was a good way to develop ties. He expressed his hopes for more cultural interaction to take place in the future.

"We invite students from Indonesia to learn in the United States so there are exchanges of culture," George E. Martin, president of St. Edward University, said.

The visitors were welcomed by the UIN rector Komarudin Hidayat, staff members and students.

"We are so pleased to have these foreign guests and we are open to any foreign university students if they want to learn about how the Islamic education system and method are applied here," Komarudin said.

He explained the curriculum used and applied at UIN was a combination of existing Islamic values, science and knowledge.

At City Hall on Friday, the U.S. group held a press conference, inviting Indonesian students from low-income households to attain their bachelor's degree there with scholarships.

"We're committed to creating a possibility for poor students to have education," the president of New York-based Institute of International Education (IIE), Alan Goodman, said Friday in a press conference.

He said IIE, an independent non-profit educational exchange organization, administered over 20,000 scholarships for those willing to study in the U.S. and other countries.

"There are 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. authorized to issue degrees recognized worldwide," he said.

"There are still many spaces for students."

The Jakarta Secondary and Higher Education Agency head Margani M. Mustar said the city now had high hopes after hearing of the scholarship offers.

"We've always had the vision of providing real opportunities for all to have education at the highest level possible, whether that's here or abroad," he said.
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