King's College London

The roundtable, chaired by Sir Steve Smith, the UK International Education Champion, brought together the British Council, Russell Group universities and Seema Malhotra, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Discussions focused on strengthening UK–Indonesia cooperation across transnational education, joint research, STEM engagement and talent development, building on the strong strategic relationship between the two countries.

King’s has long-standing partnerships in Indonesia and is the first Russell Group university to deliver place-based transnational education in the country through its programmes in the Singhasari Special Economic Zone, East Java. Led by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, the master’s programmes in Digital Economies and Digital Futures support national priorities for the development of technology and tourism.

During the roundtable, His Excellency Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia, outlined his ambition to establish 10 new world‑class universities in Indonesia through partnerships with leading UK institutions. The proposal prioritises expanding medical, dental and pharmaceutical education, as well as science and technology, supported by plans for international‑standard teaching hospitals at each campus.

In his opening remarks, the President highlighted Indonesia’s healthcare workforce gap, including a shortfall of around 140,000 doctors, and stressed that international partnerships will be essential to strengthening national healthcare systems and reducing reliance on overseas treatment.  

Professor Shitij Kapur, Vice-Chancellor & President of King’s College London, said: “I was honoured to meet His Excellency Prabowo Subianto with colleagues from across the UK higher education sector. King’s has long‑standing and impactful relationships in Indonesia, including through our partnership in Singhasari. Engagement of this kind helps us understand how King’s expertise in transnational education and world‑leading research can support shared priorities for the UK and Indonesia.”

Professor Simon Tanner, King’s Rector for Indonesia and South East Asia, also took part in the discussions. Reflecting on the success of the Singhasari Partnership, he said: “Our work in Singhasari shows how King’s expertise in the arts, humanities and digital innovation can support Indonesia’s growing creative and technology‑driven sectors. By co‑developing programmes with partners in East Java, we are helping learners build the skills they need for a rapidly changing digital landscape. I look forward to deepening these relationships as we explore new opportunities to collaborate and expand our shared impact.”

King’s recently hosted the launch of the new UK International Education Strategy, which sets out a vision to grow the value of UK education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030. During the visit, Baroness Smith of Malvern, UK Minister for Skills, toured the King’s campus and met senior leaders to discuss the University’s sector‑leading transnational education programmes and their role in extending the global impact of UK higher education.