York Guides

Yorkhshire, Indonesia-Relief -- Leeds, Sheffield and York University in Yorkshire, UK, are among 13 British universities have joined forces to offer scholarship to the University of Syiah Kuala and Islamic Institute of Ar-Raniri, Banda Aceh.

Leeds University vice-chancellor Professor Michael Arthur told Yorkshire Post on Monday, ‘’It is very pleasing to see so many British universities working together to help their colleagues in higher education in Indonesia. The two universities affected, IAIN A-Raniri and Unsyiah, urgently need training opportunities for their junior staff and this scholarship scheme will make a real difference to them.’’

‘’The offer of scholarships is very helpful, and we hope those who come to the UK will gain experience to replace that of the colleagues we lost,’’ said Dr Usman Kasim, lecturer of Unsyiah that graduated from Leed in 1990’s.

Usman, with assistance from the British Council and to the British and Indonesian governments, is currently in Leeds to coordinates the MA scholarships scheme. He lost his wife, 20-year-old son Kasyful Hady, daughter Wirda Amalia, 16, and nine-year-old son Fauzan Akbar. Only his 12-year-old son Achmad Milzam survived.

Unsyiah and IAIN Ar-Raniri lost 1,500 students and more than 150 lecturers. While Leed University, lost Professor Sally Macgill, and her daughter Alice were among Britons who were killed by the tsunami.

In addition to the universities' efforts, the Leeds Indonesian students' association hopes to rebuild a primary school by raising £22,000. The appeal hopes to rebuild a school in Banda Aceh with five classrooms, offices for teachers and a water pump and tower.