BILATERAL TIES: Zakharias during a photo call for the visit. Kerr is at third right.
MIRI: The provincial government in Papua Province, Indonesia is keen to sponsor Papuan students for further studies at leading tertiary institutions in the region including Curtin Sarawak.
Papua Human Resources Development Board head Dr Zakharias Giay said the board hopes to place undergraduates in engineering, science and business programmes as well as some postgraduate students in selected business and engineering disciplines.
Currently, the board is sponsoring some 20 students at Curtin’s main campus in Perth, Western Australia.
Zakharias said this during a familiarisation visit to Curtin Sarawak recently.
He was accompanied by Lili Kusuma Chandar, director of ELC Education in Makassar, South Sulawesi, which is assisting the board to establish bilateral ties with Curtin University’s campuses in Australia and Sarawak.
Expressing support for the move, pro vice-chancellor Professor Ian Kerr said Curtin Sarawak offers a more affordable option as the students would pay local fees and the cost of living in Sarawak is considerably cheaper compared to Perth.
Furthermore, the courses at both campuses are identical and the degrees are awarded by Curtin Australia.