Open Forum – Discussion on Developments in U.S.-Indonesia Education Exchanges: Opportunities and Challenges on January 30, 2026

 

Open Forum

Discussion on

Developments in U.S.-Indonesia Education Exchanges:
Opportunities and Challenges 

Friday, January 30th 2:30 p.m. 

In-person at 1616 P Street N.W.

Washington DC

7th Floor Conference Room 

and online by Zoom

Moderated by: Ambassador David Merrill, USINDO President

The landscape for U.S.-Indonesia education exchange programs is undergoing unprecedented shifts in priorities, policies, and budgets. However, the extent to which these changes are affecting Indonesian student enrollment in U.S. universities, and American students’ interest in studying in Indonesia, is not well understood. The actual impact may be less than assumed, creating possible opportunities as well as challenges.

This USINDO Open Forum will shed new light on education exchange programs, especially the factors affecting Indonesian enrollment at U.S. universities, providing insights beyond what we read in news reports.  Speakers will also provide a perspective on navigating within the current fluid environment to produce talented graduates and educational programs that can serve both the U.S. and Indonesian national interests.  

Dr. Sandra Hamid, Executive Director of the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF), will provide the latest information on the Fulbright Indonesia exchange program, both for Americans and Indonesians, and share current and upcoming scholarship opportunities.

Jonah Kokodyniak, Executive Vice President at the Institute of International Education (IIE), will share data and findings from recent analysis of the changing landscape and discuss the current outlook for U.S.-Indonesia student exchanges.

USINDO’s President, David Merrill, will moderate, as well as share information about USINDO’s exchange and fellowship programs for U.S. and Indonesian students.

Please join us for the latest on challenges and opportunities in educational exchange programs for Indonesians to study in the U.S. and for Americans who want to learn about Indonesia. All are welcome to attend either in-person or online

Full Biography of Speakers:

Dr. Sandra Hamid is the Executive Director of the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) which manages the Fulbright Indonesia program.  She assumed leadership of AMINEF in January 2025, after having served on AMINEF’s Board of Trustees for two terms.  A cultural anthropologist by training, she was herself a Fulbright recipient for her doctoral studies at the University of Illinois.  Dr. Hamid has been a fellow at the Center for Indonesian Law, Islam, and Society at the University of Melbourne and a Draper Hills Summer Fellow on Democracy and Development at Stanford University. As John R. Heath Visiting Professor at Grinnell College, she recently taught courses on the nexus of anthropology and development. She also served as the Indonesia Country Representative for The Asia Foundation and worked as a reporter at Tempo magazine.

Jonah Kokodyniak is the Executive Vice President for Program Development and Partner Services at the Institute for International Education (IIE).  Mr. Kokodyniak leads IIE’s Corporate and Foundation Programs, Program Development and Proposal Management, Research, Evaluation and Learning, as well as oversight of IIE’s offices in China, India, Thailand, and Mexico. Additionally, he serves on the board of the Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF), playing a pivotal role in expanding IIE’s initiatives supporting refugee and displaced students. Mr. Kokodyniak holds an M.A. with Honors from the New School for Social Research and a B.A. from the University of Vermont.

The event will be held in person at the 7th Floor Conference Center at USINDO’s office

1616 P Street N.W., Washington DC

In-person attendance is encouraged when possible. Seating is limited to the first 30 attendees.  Attendance by Zoom is also available. Those registering requesting Zoom will receive a Zoom link closer to the date. 

Please arrive by 2:15 p.m.

Parking is available at 1616 P Street NW (garage is on the right side of building).

If you face any technical difficulties with the link above, you can also register by sending an email to ghattari@usindo.org

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The United States-Indonesia Society’s mission is strengthening mutual understanding between the United States and Indonesia, enhancing the bilateral relationship, and deepening the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We implement our mission through public discussions in each country and long-term bi-national programs in the education, legislative, and other sectors.

USINDO | 1616 P Street, NW, Suite 230 Washington DC, 20036, United States
The Plaza Tower, Floor 41, JL. M.H. Thamrin Kav 28 – 30, Jakarta, Indonesia