January 29, 2014, Jakarta. The American Indonesian Exchange Foundation held the 2014 Community College Administrator Program (CCAP) Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) at the Grand Cemara hotel in Jakarta on January 29, 2014.  The CCA Program is a new and innovative model of cooperation between the USG, the Ministry of Education and Culture, U.S. institutions involved in Community College development and administration in the U.S. and specifically with DIKTI officials and administrators who are working on the development of Akademi Komunitas regionally here in Indonesia. The one week executive dialougue for officials and the 5 week seminar is designed to provide Indonesian administrators who have responsibilities in key elements of Community Academy leadership with direct exposure to the day top day administrative responsibilities and challenges of a U.S. community college in order to investigate community college academic and vocational programs that are relevant to the needs of Indonesia and/or the particpants’ home institutions and region.

This program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State and administered in Indonesia by AMINEF.  In the U.S. this exchange program is hosted by the Florida State University and Valencia College who have organized the one-week Executive Dialogue and the five-week Community College Seminarseries and activities in Tallahassee and Orlando, Florida from February 14 – March 31, 2014.

AMINEF Executive Director, Mr. Michael McCoy and Deputy Director of Institutional Collaboration Affairs, DIKTI, Mr. Purwanto Subroto, PhD officially welcomed the participants during the orientation. Mr. McCoy highlighted the vision and mission of this program and the unique collaborative approach it represents between the U.S. and Indonesia and specifically between U.S. Universities and community colleges and the new Akademi Komunitas in Indonesia.  Dr. Subroto added that the participants should grasp the opportunities this program offers and should have goals to acquire new knowledge and develop networking opportunities that will benefit the Akademi Komunitas development in their hometown. DIKTI is looking forward to a complete report from the group upon the completion of the program to aid in future dvelopment. He said their report will help DIKTI to create and further developpolicies for AK establishment and development that are suitable for the Indonesian context.

The purpose of the orientation is to prepare the participants for their upcoming programs in the U.S. and to establish strong networking among the participants. The program coordinator, Dr. Jeffrey A. Milligan, who is also the Director of Learning Systems Institute, and Professor of Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, the Florida State University, welcomed and briefed the group about the administrative aspects of the program via a Skype conferencing call from the US during the first session. Also,  two Community College Faculty and Administrator Program (CCFAP) alumni (from a previous exchange) and AMINEF secretariat staff members provided other insight and guidance on the departure preparation and living in the U.S. throughout the entire day of the orientation.

The selected administrators and lecturers from Akademi Komunitas with higher education planning responsibilities came from variety of places across the archipelago, from Aceh to Papua. They will join the four high-level Indonesian higher education (DIKTI) officials for the one-week Executive Dialogue. The twelve AK administrators  are Mr. Rikardus Nelson Wisang from Akademi Komunitas Keerom, Papua, Mr. Wajib  from Akademi Komunitas Lamongan, West Java, Mr. Mardiono from Akademi Komunitas Lampung Tengah, Mr. Noprianto, Akademi Komunitas Curup, Rejang Lebong, Bengkulu, Mr. Sugeng Wahyudi, Akademi Komunitas Blitar, Mr. Edi Rosyadi Wijaya, Akademi Komunitas Nganjuk, Ms. Tuti Hidayati, Akademi Komunitas Aceh Barat, Ms. Lusy Kurniawati Akademi Komunitas Bojonegoro, Ms. Diani Dyah Pitaloka, Akademi Komunitas Situbondo, Mr. Nanang Eka Yulianto, Akademi Komunitas Sumenep, Madura, Mr. Sudarman, Akademi Komunitas Mukomuko, Bengkulu, Mr. Dodi Nofri Yoliadi, Akademi Komunitas Tanah Datar, West Sumatera. The four DIKTI officials are Mr. Purwanto Subroto, PhD, Deputy Director of Institutional Collaboration Affairs, DIKTI, Drs. Sudarsono Marlan, Deputy Director of Program & Evaluation, DIKTI, Mr.  Heddy Rohandi Agah, M. Eng. Vice Chairman of Akademi Komunitas Development Task Force, Ms. Josephine Margaretta Siregar, Staff Sub Directorate for Program & Evaluation, DIKTI.