Anies Baswedan
NIU alumnus Anies Baswedan (Ph.D., political science, 2007), president of Paramadina University in Jakarta, has been named minister of Primary and Secondary Education in the cabinet of new Indonesia President Joko Widodo.
After receiving his Ph.D. from NIU, Baswedan made his mark as a researcher and public policy consultant before being named rector at Paramadina.
In 2008, Foreign Policy magazine named him one the 100 Top Public Policy Intellectuals. In 2009, he was selected as one of the 2009 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum and named one of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ 50th Golden Anniversary Alumni.
In 2010, Baswedan founded Indonesia Mengajar (Indonesia Teaches), a foundation that sends young teachers to schools in remote parts of Indonesia. In his new position as education minister, he said, he will continue to work to improve access to primary and secondary education for students countrywide.
“I will push for openness and active public participation,” Baswedan told the Jakarta Globe.
Prior to his ministerial appointment, Baswedan served as a spokesman for the new president and as a member of the presidential transition team.
