Declaration on a Joint French-Indonesian Strategy on Education, Research, and Mobility.

The President of the French Republic, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron,

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Prabowo Subianto,

Recalling that, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950, France and Indonesia have built a close and mutually beneficial partnership,

Emphasizing the increasing intensity and diversification of their cooperation in education, higher education and research since the Cultural and Technical Cooperation Agreement signed on September 20, 1969, the joint declaration of strategic partnership adopted on July 1, 2011, the action plan for deepening of the strategic partnership for the period 2022-2027 adopted on November 24, 2021, and the joint declaration “Horizon 2050” adopted on May 28, 2025,

Reiterating the importance they attach to the France-Indonesian Year of Innovation 2026 as a flagship initiative and as a structuring tool for their cooperation in the field of knowledge and human development, as well as an avenue to foster a forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership in technological advancement and future industries,

Convinced that knowledge and science are the best response to contemporary challenges,

Adopt this Declaration defining a joint strategy for education, research, and mobility.

I. Objectives

1. France and Indonesia recognize the central role of inclusive, equitable and quality education and diversity of knowledge, as well as open and ethical scientific research based on academic excellence and the promotion of information integrity, in responding to major contemporary challenges: climate change, food security, global health, biodiversity, energy transition, and digital transformation.

2. France and Indonesia reaffirm their commitment to gender equality in education, including by promoting access of girls and women to STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), strengthening their participation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, and supporting women’s economic empowerment through education and skills development.

3. Consequently, France and Indonesia have decided to establish a joint strategy in the field of education, research, and mobility to structure and develop their cooperation, based on a partnership and co-contribution approach, and will explore opportunities to extend this cooperation, including through South-South and Triangular Cooperation frameworks, enabling the sharing of knowledge and best practices with other developing countries.

II. Ambitious Educational Cooperation

4. Reaffirming their commitment to the Joint Action Plan in the field of education signed in Paris in May 2023, France and Indonesia wish to deepen their cooperation in the areas of teacher training, vocational training, and the promotion of multilingualism.

5. France and Indonesia reaffirm the importance of teacher training, including in vocational education pathways, as a key driver for education quality. They will promote cooperation and networking between their respective teacher training institutions, notably the French National Institutes for Higher Education and Teaching (INSPE) and their Indonesian counterparts, in order to strengthen the territorial outreach and impact of joint initiatives for the benefit of education professionals, teachers, and students in both countries.

6. Recognizing the importance of education from an early age, both countries also commit to strengthening cooperation in early childhood education as a foundation for lifelong learning and inclusive development involving the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and the INSPE network, and the Indonesian Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

7. In terms of vocational training, both countries are committed to continuing and expanding initiatives in the field of hospitality and culinary arts.

8. Both countries welcome the collaboration between the Indonesian Ministries of Tourism and of Higher Education, and the French Ministry of Education in establishing programs that create opportunities for young Indonesians to come to France for training and then apprenticeships in hotels and restaurants. The two countries agree to continue and expand this initiative, notably through co-financing measures.

9. They support the work underway to propose a training program for trainers in collective catering, in support of the Indonesian free meals program (Makan Bergizi Gratis - MBG), and call for its implementation to begin in the second half of 2026.

10. Recognizing the importance of effective communication in international cooperation, both countries will continue to promote multilingualism by supporting language training, including for civil servants, encouraging the teaching and promotion of their respective language and culture, and advancing joint initiatives such as training for language teachers.

III. Administrative and Public Servant Training Cooperation

11. France and Indonesia reaffirm the importance of cooperation in human capital development for civil servants, including training programs, exchanges, and professional development activities (including for inspectors and schoolmasters).

12. Both countries welcome the ongoing cooperation between their diplomatic academies and express interest in exploring possible collaboration with the National Institute of Public Service to support the development of public administration and government talent.

IV. Structured Scientific Cooperation

13. France and Indonesia emphasize the longstanding nature of their cooperation in scientific research, which has been expanded into various disciplines.

14. The two countries believe that fundamental research serves society and encourage collaborations, such as joint publications in international peer-reviewed journals, while ensuring fair, transparent, and mutually agreed arrangements on intellectual property rights, in accordance with applicable regulations. They commit to promoting integrity of information and defending science, particularly in the areas of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and pollution.

15. France and Indonesia reaffirm their commitment to the advancement of robust and structured bilateral cooperation in the fields of education, scientific research, and academic mobility. Special emphasis is placed on supporting cross-disciplinary cooperation and the pursuit of innovative projects that span across scientific fields.

16. Acknowledging the importance of joint research initiatives, co-publications, and scientific conferences, France and Indonesia underscore their commitment to strengthening bilateral scientific cooperation and advancing the exchange of knowledge and expertise between their countries.

17. Both countries reaffirm their support for established co-financing frameworks to attract high-level researchers in engineering, medicine, natural sciences, and other mutually agreed fields. Furthermore, both countries emphasize that researcher mobility is fundamental to building sustainable and impactful international partnerships, including high-level scientific visits.

18. France and Indonesia welcome long-standing engagements of French research institutions in Indonesia, including the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Research Institute for Development (IRD), the Center for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) and the French School of the Far East (EFEO).

19. The two countries further acknowledge the signing of the Letter of Intent signed in Jakarta on May 28, 2025 between BRIN and CNRS, and the collaboration in organizing the One Health Scientific Conference in November 2025.

20. The establishment of Schools of Science and the development of International Research Projects and Laboratories between CNRS and partners like BRIN will be a milestone for bilateral research collaboration, and a significant addition to the ongoing operation in international joint laboratories, as well as the recent launch of partnership projects in sectors such as agriculture, cocoa, and nutrition advancement.

21. Reciprocal visits by scientific leaders are encouraged as key opportunities to explore new avenues of partnership, including early tsunami detection, sustainable agroforestry, and forest management, all for the benefit of both societies and their environment.

22. Both countries recognize the value of strengthening maritime ties, exemplified by bilateral exchanges and scientific collaboration, including the Bilateral Maritime Dialogue and joint expeditions These initiatives foster collaborations, and academic and research partnerships while encouraging understanding as well as exploration of new opportunities.

23. In the field of health, in the wake of the One Health Summit held in Lyon on April 5-7 2026 with the active engagement of Indonesia, including on joint efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance, prevent zoonotic diseases, minimize the negative health effects of ultra-processed foods, as well as support to Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to establish a national One Health interministerial committee, France and Indonesia celebrate collaborative ventures among universities, hospitals, private sectors and philanthropic organizations with particular focus on medical training. The two countries are committed to implementing the declaration of intent on health signed on May 27, 2024 at the ministerial level, which provides for cooperation in multilateral forums and joint work on four themes: strengthening health services and systems; hospital cooperation, particularly in emergency medicine; health technologies; training of health personnel (including promoting the learning of French to enable Indonesians to access medical studies and internships in hospital facilities), as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on Preparedness, Prevention, Detection and Response to Zoonotic Diseases signed on April 7, 2026

24. To foster the bilateral maritime dialogue between the two countries, Indonesia and France support the integration of maritime issues into education and research. In particular, both countries support the development of marine educational areas and the organization of events that raise awareness among their populations about the challenges of the triple global crisis.

25. Energy transition stands as another cornerstone, with both countries committed to exploring joint research on non-fossil energies, energy sources and revitalizing their long-standing cooperation in civil nuclear energy (particularly through the FICEM - France Indonesia Consortium in Engineering and Management) or scientific research, as well as emphasizing academic and scientific exchanges

26. Furthermore, France and Indonesia look forward to deeper engagements among high-level officials, which aim to foster meaningful dialogue and promote academic collaboration.

27. France and Indonesia note the significance of collaborative efforts in fields such as archaeology, literature, and history, which enhance mutual cultural understanding of their respective cultures and heritage.

28. In this context, both countries note the collaboration between French institutions and Indonesian universities in fostering scientific and academic exchanges and will explore the future cooperation including through joint work and publications, as well as funding. They also highlight the successful collaboration in organizing international science congresses.

V. Enhanced Student and Academic Mobility

29. France and Indonesia will strengthen mobility programs targeting the reception of students, teachers and researchers in their respective countries, particularly in priority areas of bilateral relations, by increasing the number of university agreements and continuing co-financed scholarship programs. Both countries welcome the France-LPDP scholarships program for Master’s and Doctoral candidates. They will encourage dual degree agreements and academic excellence through the integration of higher education with high-level scientific research. The development of targeted agreement between LPDP and French institutions recognized for their excellence in teaching and research will be encouraged. 

30. The development of double degrees between France and Indonesian teaching institutions is an efficient leverage to develop student mobility within a strong institutional cooperation framework. Double degrees schemes are instruments for the development of cooperation aimed at student mobility. The involvement of PTN-BH universities in Indonesia in this type of cooperation is strongly encouraged.

Both countries will mobilize their national funding and scholarships programs to foster scientific and academic exchanges.

31. France and Indonesia will also encourage the recognition of their reciprocal national language certifications (DELF/DALF for Indonesian student willing to study in France and BIPA for French students willing to study in Indonesia) as a language proficiency criterion for selection into their national scholarship programs.

32. They are committed to ongoing cooperation with leading research institutions and laboratories.

33. The two countries commit to enhancing bilateral student mobility across all academic levels, encompassing the Garuda program for undergraduate students, including for French language training

VI. Implementation of the joint strategy

34. To implement this Joint Strategy on Education, Research, and Mobility, France and Indonesia will foster strong collaboration among their diplomatic missions, relevant ministries, research organizations, higher education institutions, as well as public and private stakeholders, including through the establishment of a joint coordination mechanism, the designation of focal points, and the development of a time-bound implementation roadmap, complementing the roadmap to be adopted under this Strategy.

35. The two countries welcome the convening of the 14th French-Indonesian Joint Working Group in Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship hosted in Angers by University of Angers and ESSCA on July 1, 2 and 3, 2026. A roadmap transforming the guidelines of this Strategy into operational and concrete projects will be adopted on this occasion.

36. France and Indonesia will periodically review the implementation of this Strategy through joint working group comprising representatives from their diplomatic missions, relevant ministries, agencies, and institutions, as well as through regular annual or bilateral consultations, supported by a structured monitoring and evaluation mechanism and the exchange of best practices to ensure its effectiveness, sustainability, and long-term impact.

37. The two countries will jointly promote this Strategy and highlight the results of their cooperation in education, research, and mobility.

38. All activities undertaken by French and Indonesian institutions shall comply with, and be subject to, the prevailing laws and regulation of each country.