The ‘Growing Indonesia – a Triangular Approach’ project will create a series of ‘Growth Hubs,’ initially in seven Indonesian universities over the coming five years.

“The University’s mission is to look at education and contribute to local economic growth”

The initiative is modelled on the University of Gloucestershire’s own Growth Hub – a physical space where academics, students, graduates, start-ups and enterprises come together to share ideas.

 The project, which began in October 2017, is in the process of auditing its seven initial partner Indonesian HEIs, all of which are based on Java.

This process will continue until July 2018, after which the institutions will act as ‘pillars’ for an expanding network of other universities, sharing the model and replicating best entrepreneurial practice.

During this time, UK experts will assess, plan and guide entrepreneurial programs at Indonesian universities designed to support graduates and local communities.

Neil Towers, Growing Indonesia project lead at the University of Gloucestershire said that Indonesia has a significant problem with the retention of its graduates, resulting in a severe economic impact on the nation.

“With a population of 260 million, it is Southeast Asia’s largest economy, yet there is a lack of support for the creation of start-ups and an over-reliance on foreign labour markets.”

By comparison, Towers explained, Gloucestershire is widely recognised as an area of the UK with world-leading expertise and employers – particularly in the areas of high-performance engineering and cyber technology.

“Despite this, we face similar challenges in attracting young people to enter these growth industries and make a choice to live, work and develop their skills within the county.

“The University’s mission is very much to look at education and contribute to local economic growth,” he added.

European partners for the project include Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland, Fachhochschule des Mittelstands in Germany and the University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Partners in Indonesia include President University in Jakarta, Universitas Padjadjaran in Bandung, Universitas Negeri Semarang in Semarang, Universitas Brawijaya and STIE Malangkucecwara in Malang, as well as Universitas Ahmad Dahlan and Universitas Islam Indonesia in Yogyakarta.