U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia Heather Variava on Thursday night (6/17/2021), released the departure of 24 students from Papua who received special autonomy scholarships from the Papua Provincial Government to study in the United States.

The scholarship recipients will study at the University of Rhode Island. They consist of 22 undergraduate and 2 graduate students scheduled to leave for Rhode Island in late June 2021.

They will initially enter the University of Johnson &Wales campus in Providence, Rhode Island to study English and American Culture for a semester in summer. Some students will continue their studies in fall at the University of Rhode Island as second-year students.

Others will be enrolled in an Associate degree program at Highline College before proceeding to the University of Rhode Island or University Johnson &Wales.

On that occasion, Heather Variava expressed her gratitude for the commitment of the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe, SIP, MH to this program. The same remarks were made to University of Rhode Island President Dr. David M Dooley and Director of Education and Business Partnerships for Asia, Brook Ross.

According to Variava, this partnership is an example of how educational institutions in the U.S. can help improve the quality of human resources in all corners of the archipelago.

This release marks a continuation of the long-term cooperation between the University of Rhode Island and the Papua Provincial Government, to provide opportunities for Young Papuans to pursue academic degrees at universities in the United States.

"This student exchange is expected to further strengthen the relationship between Indonesia and the United States," Heather Variava said in her speech when releasing the departure of Papuan students at The Dharmawangsa Hotel, Jakarta, Thursday (17/06/2021).

Last year, 35 scholarship recipients were selected to continue their studies at the University of Rhode Island, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these students were unable to travel to Rhode Island for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

They then participated in coaching and education in collaboration with the Papua Provincial Government, Papua Language Institute (PLI) together with the University of Rhode Island, University of Johnson &Wales and Highline College through a face-to-face and online mixed education program to provide academic support and help ensure that students can continue their studies in the United States when conditions improve.

Meanwhile, The Head of Human Resources Development Agency of Papua, Aryoko AF Rumaropen, SP, M.Eng representing the Governor of Papua expressed his gratitude for the support of the Central Government and the American Embassy in Jakarta that provides opportunities for Papuan children to study in the United States.

The educational cooperation between the Government of Papua Indonesia and the U.S. Government, said Aryoko, is a realization of the government's commitment to build indigenous Papuan human resources and it is expected that the students can return to the country to work in various sectors and fields in accordance with their disciplines.

"This educational cooperation was conducted by the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe with various universities in the United States to help improve the native human resources of Papua," he said.