Indonesia and Georgia are accelerating talks to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on higher education cooperation aimed at boosting student exchange, joint research and human resource development, according to Antara.

The push came during a meeting between Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Stella Christie and Georgian Ambassador to Indonesia Tornike Nozadze in Jakarta on Thursday.

According to a statement released Friday, both sides agreed on the need to promptly formalize the MoU as an umbrella framework to facilitate connections and collaboration between universities in the two countries.

Christie stressed the importance of shifting from traditional government-to-government arrangements toward more practical, results-oriented cooperation. She said such an approach would allow universities to focus on implementing joint programs rather than negotiating separate agreements.

The strategy aligns with the ministry’s “Impactful Diktisaintek” policy, which promotes international cooperation that delivers measurable improvements in higher education quality.

Christie also highlighted the role of global partnerships in strengthening the capacity of lecturers and early-career academics.

She said initiatives such as graduate and doctoral programs are key to advancing Indonesia’s higher education system and increasing global competitiveness.

Ambassador Nozadze welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that student exchange and direct people-to-people interaction are essential for building mutual understanding.

He said closer academic ties would help foster long-term relations between Indonesia and Georgia.

Under the planned agreement, both governments will exchange information on English-language study programs, scholarship opportunities and university profiles.

The move is expected to improve access to education information and encourage more students to participate in international programs.