TVET UK has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture to help improve standards of vocational education in Indonesia and meet the needs of industry.
The association – which helps players from the UK’s vocational sector find business overseas – said the deal was the start of a commitment to “work together to reform and develop the national education system and workplace training”. This would mean working in partnership with local agencies on new infrastructure; curricula; teacher training; professional development and state-of-the-art resources and equipment.
“The MOU is our way of getting people further and faster into the market”
“The MOU is our way of providing a mechanism for people to go in and get an audience,” Matthew Anderson, executive director of TVET UK, told The PIE News following a recent trade mission to the country. “Or as we say, getting people further and faster into the market.”
With a burgeoning young population, the Indonesian government views improving education as a priority and key to developing human capacity. Around 20% of the government’s budget is ring-fenced for education.
TVET UK said that the country, while not a traditional market for the UK, offered new opportunities. It flagged a growing trend for training and development to be delivered in English, and increased demand for textbooks and equipment from overseas.
Those already benefiting from the deal include Cambridge Regional College, Dudley College, Highbury College and Harrow College, said Anderson. “The sky is the limit but we will run another couple of trade missions to keep the UK education flag flying,” he added.
TVET UK also signed an MOU with the Mexican government in May in the presence of the UK universities minister, David Willetts, and is working on initiatives in New Zealand. It has also launched a new website with additional resources for users.
