Monash University publicly contemplates a campus in Indonesia

Monash University is considering opening a campus in Indonesia; it would be the first Australian university to do so. Last year Indonesia passed a law permitting foreign education institutions although their operations would be restricted.  Monash is currently represented in Indonesia by the Jakarta International College which offers Monash College courses and a local Monash University Foundation Year.

During February, Monash sent a delegation of more than 40 to Indonesia, which enjoyed a number of high-profile meetings including the conferring of an honorary doctorate on Indonesia's Australian-educated Vice-President Boediono at a ceremony attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

In his meeting with Dr Makarim Wibisono, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, Monash Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ed Byrne was reportedly enthusiastic about the possibility of establishing a Monash University campus in Jakarta "or other cities of Indonesia."

Like many Australian education providers, Monash has had a light marketing influence in Indonesia over the past decade, blaming the Australian government's severe travel warnings for the lack of attention. "Monash never forgot about Indonesia (but) it sees that this is the best time to review the relationship," said former newspaper editor, Paul Ramadge, the Monash Vice-Chancellor's professorial fellow who is "overseeing a new strategy to engage Indonesia".