JAKARTA — France and Indonesia are strengthening the link between higher education and industry through a new partnership between the Embassy of France in Indonesia, Timor-Leste and to ASEAN – Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI), Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) and Thales Indonesia.
The agreement, signed at the French Residence on 21 September 2026, in the presence of the French Ambassador to Indonesia, Fabien Penone, and Vice Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology, Stella Christie, underlining the strong government support for deepening ties between academia, provides additional support for Indonesian students
pursuing Master’s and PhD studies in France under the LPDP-France Master and Doctoral
programs.
The partnership brings a new private-sector dimension to an existing strong France-Indonesia scholarship framework. LPDP provides scholarship funding for Indonesian students to pursue their studies in France, while Thales will complement their academic experience through mentoring, professional guidance and exposure to industrial needs. The French Embassy – Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI) will coordinate the partnership and its links with the French higher education ecosystem.
The agreement was signed by Juliette Salabert, Cooperation and Cultural Counsellor of the French Embassy and Director of IFI, and Clément de Foucauld, Country Director of Thales Indonesia. The ceremony was also attended by Prof. Dr. Ir. Tatacipta Dirgantara, Rector of Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), and Dr. Nelly, Rector of BINUS University, highlighting the involvement of leading Indonesian higher education institutions in strengthening links between academic training, research and industry.
Under this partnership, a dedicated group of Indonesian Master’s and PhD students will benefit from support by Thales throughout their studies. Thales teams will provide mentoring and guidance, helping students connect their academic and research work with real-world industrial needs. The partnership will also explore opportunities for professional immersion, including internships or discovery sessions.
“Indonesia is therefore no longer merely a vast and fascinating field for research: it has become a genuine research partner. […] Today, I am glad to announce our first concrete step in this direction: the signing of a new partnership agreement between the French Embassy and Thales,” said Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN. “These bright students will not be left to navigate their studies alone. Throughout their academic journey, they will be mentored, guided, and supported by Thales’ expert teams, ensuring their studies are connected to real-world industrial needs.”
“We are very excited about the start of this collaboration, and we hope it can produce a new generation of people who work in, and are highly experienced in, defense technology,” added Vice Minister Stella Christie.
Thales is a global technology leader operating in Defense, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital. The Group has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries and generated €20.6 billion in sales in 2024. It invests more than €4 billion annually in research and development, making research and technological innovation central to its activities.
In Indonesia, Thales has been present for more than 45 years, with activities spanning defense, air traffic management, satellite connectivity and digital technologies, including cybersecurity and data protection. Its activities include air traffic management systems in the Makassar region and connectivity through the SATRIA-1 and Merah Putih 2 telecommunications satellites.
This strong focus on research and advanced technologies makes Thales a natural partner for an initiative aimed at bringing academic training closer to the professional and industrial world.
“This is the spirit behind today’s initiative: building a lasting bridge between academic and industrial excellence, between tomorrow’s researchers and the technologies they will help shape. By investing in this talent, we are building, together, the skills and the innovations our common future will need,” said Clément de Foucauld, Country Director of Thales Indonesia.
The initiative reflects the growing importance given to university-business cooperation in France-Indonesia relations. At the 14th Joint Working Group on Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, held in Angers in July 2026, representatives from both countries explored ways of strengthening cooperation between universities, research institutions and companies. The resulting roadmap for bilateral scientific cooperation was subsequently adopted by the two ministers on 9 July.
The partnership with Thales gives concrete expression to this objective by bringing a private-sector partner directly into the development of Indonesian academic talent.
The signing took place during a reception bringing together Indonesian alumni of French higher education, including graduates of ENAC, ISAE-Supaero and other French universities and engineering schools working in the transport and aviation sectors. The alumni network itself illustrates the long-term professional impact of French higher education in Indonesia.
By connecting the LPDP scholarship framework, French higher education and a major French technology company, the initiative creates a new bridge between academic excellence, research and professional opportunities. It also provides a concrete model for further involving companies in the development of Indonesian talent and in the growing network of France-Indonesia university and alumni partnerships./.
