JAKARTA — Working abroad does not have to mean putting higher education on hold. Through its Overseas Services Office (UT LLN), Universitas Terbuka provides Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) with opportunities to pursue university studies while working. As of 2026, a total of 7,881 students were enrolled through UT LLN, while 2,735 had completed their studies. These achievements provide a foundation for Universitas Terbuka (UT) to strengthen higher education outreach to prospective migrant workers before their departure.
This effort was reinforced through a UT LLN Coordination and Promotion event for staff of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Center (Balai Pelayanan Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia – BP3MI) and Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies (Perusahaan Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia – P3MI) across Jakarta. Held at the Grand Whiz Poins Simatupang Hotel in Jakarta on October 22–23, 2026, the event served as a coordination forum to expand the dissemination of information about higher education opportunities for prospective Indonesian migrant workers.
Director of UT Overseas Services, Pardamean Daulay, explained that UT students abroad are spread across several countries that host Indonesian migrant workers, including Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. He said these achievements were made possible in part through UT’s collaboration with the Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection (Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia – KP2MI), particularly BP3MI Jakarta, in promoting access to higher education among prospective migrant workers.
“The number of Universitas Terbuka students overseas currently stands at approximately 7,881. Meanwhile, the number of alumni or graduates has reached 2,735,” Pardamean said.
One important channel for disseminating this information is pre-departure orientation. Based on UT’s internal assessment, approximately 85 percent of UT LLN students and alumni learned about higher education opportunities while attending these orientation sessions. This finding indicates that pre-departure training can provide a strategic opportunity to introduce prospective migrant workers to higher education options.
However, limited human resources and budget-efficiency policies mean that UT cannot always attend every orientation session organized by BP3MI. Therefore, UT hopes that BP3MI staff and P3MI representatives can also serve as channels for providing educational information to prospective migrant workers.
“We sincerely hope that all participants here will help us provide outreach and education to prospective Indonesian migrant workers,” Pardamean said.
Pardamean emphasized that education can be an important asset for migrant workers, not only while they are working abroad but also in creating career development opportunities after returning to Indonesia. By broadening the dissemination of information, prospective migrant workers are expected to learn about opportunities to continue their education from the earliest stages of planning their departure.
Efforts to expand access align with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education, particularly in supporting inclusive and lifelong learning opportunities. Access to educational information before departure can help prospective migrant workers consider higher education as part of their skills development and future plans.
Head of BP3MI Jakarta, Police Commissioner Arman Muis, commended UT’s initiative to bring together representatives from the education sector, government, and migrant worker placement companies. He said the collaboration was a positive step toward improving the quality of Indonesian human resources working abroad. He also described UT LLN’s achievement in graduating 2,735 students as a milestone that should be built upon through broader collaboration.
Arman emphasized the importance of establishing stronger connections between education and the needs of the international labor market. In his view, improving academic qualifications must go hand in hand with developing the skills required by the global workforce.
“We must be able to build a bridge between the world of education and the global world of work,” Arman said.
He also highlighted three areas requiring collective attention: aligning education with global labor market needs, ensuring the safe and legal placement of migrant workers, and providing lifelong learning opportunities. According to Arman, migrant workers need more than academic certificates, they must also possess technical skills, foreign-language proficiency, competency certifications, and professional character.
These qualifications are expected to create opportunities for migrant workers to advance their careers and obtain positions requiring higher qualifications. Arman gave the example of migrant workers who leave Indonesia with a high school-level education and may progress toward positions requiring higher qualifications after earning a bachelor’s degree.
Beyond education, Arman sees the UT LLN alumni network as having the potential to develop into a community that supports migrant worker empowerment, including those who have returned to Indonesia. Therefore, collaboration among universities, government agencies, and placement companies is expected to continue beyond graduation, ensuring that education delivers tangible benefits to migrant workers’ lives and well-being.
“So, I believe this is not just about academics, it is about empowerment,” he said.
Arman also expressed hope that the collaboration could lead to the establishment of a Migrant Center at UT. The initiative is expected to strengthen support for migrant workers through cooperation in education, services, and empowerment.
Through joint coordination and promotion with BP3MI and P3MI, UT seeks to ensure that information about higher education reaches more prospective migrant workers before they leave Indonesia. In this way, the opportunity to study while working abroad can become a pathway to improving competencies, expanding career opportunities, and preparing for the future after returning home.
