- Indonesia responds to U.S. student visa freeze, coordinating with foreign universities to offer alternative academic pathways for affected Indonesian students.
- Minister Brian Yuliarto confirms steps to safeguard student education, including collaboration with local universities and data collection on students' status abroad.
- 87 Indonesian students at Harvard impacted, as U.S. halts international admissions citing national security; Indonesia urges U.S. to protect students’ academic rights.
Indonesia is closely coordinating with foreign universities to open up alternative study options for students impacted by the United States' unannounced halt of student visa issuance and interview services in all of its embassies around the world.
Indonesia's Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto affirmed that the government ensures Indonesian students are not disrupted in pursuing their studies.
"We are opening talks with leading universities in other nations to determine the viability of transferring students' courses", Brian stated in an official release on Thursday.
The ministry is also collaborating with local universities to provide academic options for the affected students. The ministry is preparing detailed information about Indonesian students in the US, such as their major, visa status, and scholarly progress, while collaborating with scholarship donors and foreign partners.
“We’re taking strategic steps to ensure continuity in their education and are monitoring the situation closely”, Brian added. He also urged Indonesian students already in the US to avoid leaving the country, as re-entry could be difficult under the current policy.
The visa ban comes as tensions rise over another US policy against foreign students. The administration of President Donald Trump recently withdrew Harvard University's privilege to admit international students, citing national security threats and ideological reasons. The action was met with criticism and prompted a legal case by the university. A temporary ban on the policy has been imposed by a federal judge.
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry has also entered the fray. Spokesman Rolliansyah Roy Soemirat stated that the government had made its concerns known directly to Washington and is closely following the unfolding situation.
"There are 87 Indonesian students at Harvard", Roy explained. "We hope there is a resolution that safeguards their rights and prevents setbacks in their studies".
Harvard indicated that foreigners constituted 27.2 percent of the students who applied for admission at the school for the 2024-2025 school year. This translates to approximately 6,793 foreign students.
