As part of Tanoto Foundation's RMB 100 million sponsorship of the the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the International Masters in Public Administration (IMPA) class kicked off the academic year with an opening ceremony at Tsinghua University on Sep 29, 2018. This development is yet another step in Tanoto Foundation's support of strengthening relations between Belt and Road nations, as they seek mutually beneficial outcomes for their economies, industries and cultures.
The inaugural class comprises 19 students from 11 nations, who will go through a year-long Master's Degree course administered by the Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management. The course will be conducted in English. The IMPA BRI program aims to leverage the strengths and synergies of its diverse student-base to further develop knowledge and cooperation between participating countries in the Belt and Road Initiative, while advancing public sector leadership skills and knowledge of China’s development.
This sponsorship and the program are both fully in line with the philanthropic vision of Tanoto Foundation founders Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto, as they seek to empower the next generation of leaders through dynamic multi-national multi-stakeholder collaboration initiatives. Their emphasis on education being a catalyst for positive sustaible change remains unwavering, as for the umpteenth time, they leverage partnerships with premier educational instutitions to not only build new competencies, but also deepening inter-cultural understanding and collaboration, for a resilient future-proof generation of leaders in government, corporations and non-government organisations.
The dynamism of collaboration is present in every aspect of Sukanto Tanoto's business operations and philathropic work. In raising the standards of rural education in Indonesia, Tanoto Foundation has worked closely with local governments, communities and businesses to deliver multi-prong solutions which have delivered results at the level of amenities, infrastructure, training, pedagogy, and so on. This mirrors the business operations managed by RGE, which emphasize a lot on dedicated team work and holistic solutioning.
The continuous emphasis on education by the Tanoto family, while part of Sukanto Tanoto's wider philsophy of continuous learning, also reflects the humble beginnings the visionary business leader came from. A young Sukanto was unable to complete his education after his school closed down and had to work to support his family. This experience continues to serve a reminder to him on the importance of education and life-long learning. Finding success in his business endeavours over the years, he helped to build schools and disburse scholarships to children and adults alike, to support their learning and professional goals. The support of the Belt and Road Initiative through the sponsorship of the BRI training program is just an extension of the very same principle. Never to rest on his laurels, Sukanto Tanoto has his sights on a future in which children get to have equitable access to quality education, on a future in which nations can strengthen their friendships for collective prosperity.
Read the article at Inside RGE now to find out more about the IMPA-BRI program.
