Luwu Utara Regency Will Send Its Brightest Youths to SU

On February 10^th, 2020, Putera Sampoerna Foundation (PSF) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in relation to an education partnership with the Regency of Luwu Utara, South Sulawesi. As part of PSF’s commitment to improving Indonesia’s education quality, the foundation through the partnership will provide financial assistance for smart youths of Luwu Utara to study at Sampoerna University.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding was conducted at Sampoerna University (L’Avenue Office Tower) and joined by Indra Yudha Pratama Kusumah (Head of Corporate Affairs and Partner Relations, Putera Sampoerna Foundation), Dr. Wahdi Salasi April Yudhi, M. Dev Admin, Ph.D. (Rektor Sampoerna University), dan Indah Putri Indriani, S.IP., MSI (Bupati Luwu Utara).

PSF believes that the improvement of education quality can be reached by many ways, and one of which is improving tertiary education through Sampoerna University. This is made possible thanks to the official collaboration between SU and University of Arizona (one of the best public universities in the United States according to U.S. News & World Report). Indonesian youths can now study under U.S. education system and curriculum for 4 years without ever leaving Jakarta and graduate with two degrees at the same time: a local degree from SU which is nationally recognized by DIKTI (Pendidikan Tinggi) and a U.S. bachelor’s degree which is internationally acknowledged from University of Arizona, U.S.A.

During her brief visit to Sampoerna University, the Regent of Luwu Utara also advised that all students acquired all the knowledge available but at the same time also stay faithful to the national identity as Indonesians. “We are also going to send our brightest youths to study here with us at Sampoerna University,” stated regent Indah Putri Indriani.

Dr. Wahdi Salasi April Yudhi spoke,” We also extend our gratitude to the Regent of Luwu Utara for the support and contribution to improve the education quality in Indonesia, especially one in Luwu Utara.”

He added that SU through PSF and School Development Outreach (SDO) also found a demand to improve the quality of education in Luwu Utara. This is shown by the Net Participation Number and the Gross Participation Number of various educational levels in the regency, from elementary school, high school to higher education, based on the data of Statistics Bureau in 2017.

In addition to enhancing youth quality, PSF and Luwu Utara Regency will promote the quality of local educators through School Development Outreach (SDO) that initiates Teachers Learning Center (TLC) – an independent, systematic, structured, and sustainable learning institution for teachers overseen by the local government.

At TLC, all these teachers can help expand opportunities for teachers to gain access of professional development at a more affordable cost and give more positive impact on students, which eventually create quality human resource. All this is in line with the vision and mission of Luwu Utara Regency which prioritizes quality development and high-quality education. “At last Luwu Utara can make progress, equal to other regencies in Indonesia,” affirmed the regent. (*/).