Indonesia is on the rise. With annual economic growth exceeding 5% and foreign investment pouring in, the world’s fourth most populous country is emerging as a major player not only in Southeast Asia but on the global stage as well.

The Alumni of USC in Indonesia (AUSCI) are helping young Indonesian professionals access a world-class education by launching the AUSCI Marshall MBA Scholarship, otherwise known as the TAMBA (Thohir AUSCI MBA) & SAMBA (Soeryadjaya AUSCI MBA) Scholarship.

“Through the generosity of our Trojan alumni and donors in Indonesia, the TAMBA & SAMBA scholarships will help talented Indonesian professionals acquire a world-class business education through Marshall’s one-year MBA program,” said Marshall Dean Geoff Garrett. “By the end of the program, these scholars will be equipped for the complexity of the global economy, emboldened by real-world learning opportunities, and supported by a worldwide network of classmates and alumni.”

Selected scholars will enroll in the International Education and Research (IBEAR) MBA, an accelerated one-year MBA program for mid-career professionals. The 48-week intensive program immerses students in the world of international business, exposing them to the real-world problems of the global economy while connecting them with other Trojans from Asia and around the world.

Indonesian businessmen, Garibaldi “Boy” Thohir and Edwin Soeryadjaya made the scholarship possible with generous gifts of $1 million each, with the expectation that their investment in the scholars will be paid back tenfold by their positive impact on Indonesian progress.

“The donors don’t think of it like ‘funding a program,’ Richard Drobnick, former academic director of IBEAR explained. “They think of themselves as enabling some bright, smart, energetic young Indonesians to have the opportunity to study in this intensive MBA program with mid-career professionals from around the world.”

CARL W. VOIGT, academic director of the one-year MBA, views the scholarship as a major boon for all students in the program, enriching the classroom culture with new, diverse perspectives.

“It helps us to bring in Indonesians with backgrounds that we probably wouldn’t get otherwise,” Voigt said. “IBEAR is the place where you can get 10 years of cultural education in one year because you’ll be sitting in class next to students from China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Chile, and Russia.”

Voigt believes the scholarship will both increase understanding of Indonesia and access to a Marshall education. “By having these scholarships, we are opening our admissions process to smart people who couldn’t otherwise come here,” he said.

The scholarship covers full tuition, air tickets, and living allowance. To receive the scholarship, participants must meet several requirements, such as status as an Indonesian national, six years of work experience, and a demonstration of strong leadership potential. In addition, the scholarship searches for candidates who come from underprivileged backgrounds.