REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDA ACEH -- The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) of Aceh Region and Syiah Kuala University announced that they will provide as many educational scholarships for Palestinian students who wish to continue their education in both Strata 1 (S1) and Postgraduate (S2), and Doctoral (S3).
The agreement was officially signed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Syiah University of Kuala Banda Aceh represented by Prof. Dr. Ir. Marwan as Rector of the Syiah University of Kuala Banda Aceh with the Palestinian Embassy in Indonesia represented by Zuhair S.M. Al Shun as the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia. The signing was also attended by DR Dr Safrizal Rahman, M.Kes, SPOt as Chairman of IDI Aceh Region.
“We want to give our support through the scholarship initiative for Palestinian students. We hope this initiative can provide opportunities for Palestinian students to get a quality education and increase their potential to build a better future,” said Prof. Dr. Ir. Marwan as Rector of Syiah University Kuala Banda Aceh.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, Zuhair Al Shun said, “On behalf of the Palestinian people, I, as the Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia, sincerely thank the Syiah University of Kuala, the Indonesian Doctors Association, and the Indonesian people for the scholarships awarded to Palestinian students. This scholarship is a very meaningful form of support for us, and will help Palestinian students to develop themselves, achieve their aspirations and success. We sincerely hope that Palestinian students can make the most of this scholarship, and that Palestinian students can become ambassadors of the Palestinian nation in Indonesia.“
With an initial quota of 83, the scholarships awarded by the University of Syiah Kuala and the Indonesian Doctor Association of Aceh Region will cover tuition fees, living expenses, and boarding fees, student visas, health insurance, which will be provided for four years for undergraduate programs and for two years for graduate programs.
Safrizal Rahman, Chairman of IDI Aceh Region, the 83rd scholarship quota includes 5 quotas of medical education, 3 quotas of dentistry, 15 quotas of specialist medicine, 5 quotas of nursing sciences, 3 quotas of post-graduate nursing sciences, 2 veterinary, 2 post-graduate veterinary and public health quotas, 15 quotas from marine and fisheries sciences, 7 from science and mathematical sciences, 11 quotas from engineering sciences and 6 from post bachelor of engineering science, as well as 7 quotas from various graduate faculties at the Syiah University of Kuala Banda Aceh.
“With this good start, we also hope that universities around Aceh will participate in providing more quotas so that they can accommodate more Palestinian students to continue their education,” said Dr. Safrizal, who also serves as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Syiah Kuala University.
The Executive Director of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) appreciated this initiative of IDI of Aceh Region and Syiah Kuala University. “We hope that this program can be developed also by IDI in other regions in cooperation with local universities to provide scholarships for Palestinian students so that they can complete their education well. The scholarship program of Syiah Kuala University and IDI Aceh Region to Palestinian students is a real effort to provide educational opportunities for the young Palestinian generation,” said the Chairman of PB IDI Adib Khumaidi.
Through the signing of this educational cooperation agreement, it is hoped that Syiah Kuala University will be able to obtain the names of prospective students from Palestine at least until the end of February 2024, so that the students can be prepared to start the study process in April 2024. Syiah Kuala University also prepared an Indonesian language course before the new academic year begins, making it easier for Palestinian scholars to adapt to the environment in Indonesia.
