Jakarta, March 3 & 5, 2025 – Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia (AJCUI) strengthened their bilateral academic collaboration with Timor-Leste, started by holding a public lectured titled “Education for Sustainable Development in Timor-Leste.” The public lecture took place at Yustinus Building 15th floor on Monday (3/3) joined by many important people: Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Indonesia Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares; Timor-Leste's Minister of Higher Education and Science, José Honório da Costa Pereira Jerónimo; and opening remarks from Indonesia’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto. The public lecture is part of AJCUI’s efforts to strengthen international academic networks and contribute to sustainable development in the Southeast Asia region.
In addition, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of Indonesia, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D., in his video speech emphasized the importance of innovative and impactful education. HE Mr. José Honório da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, Minister of Higher Education and Science of Timor-Leste, also highlighted how education can be a solution to the social, economic and environmental challenges in his country. In addition to lectures and interactive discussions, the event also served as a soft launch for the Timor-Leste Research Hub, a collaborative research initiative between Atma Jaya University and Timor Leste academics. This initiative reflects the spirit of cross-country collaboration in producing research that is relevant and impactful to society.
Translating Shared Educational Goals into Action: AJCUI and FDCH Sign Formal Agreement
One of the key outcomes of this partnership is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on March 5, 2025, between Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia (AJCUI) and the Fundo de Desenvolvimento do Capital Humano (FDCH) of Timor-Leste. The signing took place at the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Jakarta, and was witnessed by Timor-Leste’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture, H.E. Dr. José Honorio Pereira Jerónimo, along with Ambassador Roberto Sarmento de Oliveira Soares and several Timorese diplomats. AJCUI was one of five Indonesian universities to formalize cooperation with FDCH, alongside Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Mercu Buana, Universitas Borobudur, and Politeknik ATMI Surakarta. The agreement outlines areas of collaboration such as full scholarships for Timor-Leste students, academic and research cooperation, lecturer and student mobility, internship programs, cultural and language learning, and the organization of academic activities such as seminars and mentoring.
Ambassador Roberto echoed this, noting that the event marked an important milestone in advancing educational ties and people-to-people connections between the two countries. “This collaboration is not just about institutional partnerships,” said the Ambassador, “but also about a shared vision of hope for the future of Timor-Leste.” FDCH, as a national body responsible for managing educational and training funding, affirmed its commitment to improving the quality of education and creating opportunities for Timorese youth to thrive — both academically and professionally — through sustained international partnerships like this one. (RBA)
