Tanoto Scholarship for Undergraduate Degree in China

Tanoto Foundation proves its commitment to education by collaborating with some universities in Asia. They include reputable universities including in China, where many young people pursue education to gain high quality professional skills and better job opportunities, including students from low-income families. Tanoto Foundation, owned by Indonesian palm oil magnate Sukanto Tanoto, provides scholarships for undergraduate students at this university, helping students getting their degree and attaining better opportunity in the future professional career fields.

Undergraduate scholarship for students at the partner universities is just one of many programs Sukanto routinely provides for students in areas around his company facilities. The foundation also provides financial aids for the teachers to improve the quality of education in the local areas.

Tanoto Scholarship for Communication and Information

As a fast-paced country with rapid development, China always needs high quality human resources to support its development in various fields. Communication and technology are two factors that become main concerns in development, and more high quality graduates with professional skill standard in those fields are very much sought out. Sukanto Tanoto scholarship fund is aimed for undergraduate students in need of financial supports at the partner universities by giving opportunities for students to pursue education in these fields.

The scholarship is also a part of his dedication to educational activities in his philanthropy project, which is a part of his CSR program. This scholarship is for full time education period for undergraduate program, and aimed for students from underprivileged families so they can get equal opportunities in getting good education. He believes that good education, especially basic education, is a key to eradicate poverty and help people gaining success in professional field.

Dedication for Education in China

Sukanto Tanoto has high commitment for education, especially since he is very appreciative for education and never finished school when he was young. Supporting education in local areas surrounding his company’s facilities has become his main aim in CSR programs. After building educational facilities and giving scholarships for Indonesian students, Sukanto also aims to help students in Singapore (where the center of his business is located), and China (where his family came from).

As a fast growing country, China, like Indonesia, needs more professionals especially in communication and technology fields. Sukanto Tanoto’s educational programs (including scholarships) surely fill the gap the government usually leaves in the developing countries. The partner universities have earned favors from Sukanto’s educational programs and sent many of their students to great career fields in various areas after graduation.

Developing Country Billionaire and Education Champion

Bill Gates may be famous for his massive philanthropy activities and his Giving Pledge movement, which encourages billionaires to provide chunks of their wealth for education. However, many of American billionaires (even from Giving Pledge movement) still do not put priorities on developing and underdeveloped countries. Sukanto Tanoto, a palm oil and pulp magnate from Indonesia, is recognized as one of few billionaires from developing country that does philanthropy projects in quite massive scale, especially in education.

Together with his wife, Tinah Bingei, they run Tanoto Foundation, which is an institution that mainly works in the field of education. They are now considered as representatives from Indonesia in the list of billionaires from developing countries that become education champions.

Roles of Billionaires from Developing Countries

Education is a problem in developing countries, since there are still many children who do not get even the most basic education. Therefore, the roles of billionaires, especially those who own private companies, are very important. Many developing countries do not spend much budget from their GDP for education as much as developed countries, so private billionaires have positive roles in filling the budget gap left by the government. This is why many billionaires are also heavily involved in philanthropy projects, although some prefer to be private about it.

Sukanto Tanoto and his wife are recognized as the most prominent billionaire with education oriented philanthropy projects from Indonesia. They run Tanoto Foundation together with their children, and so far have awarded 1,000 scholarships, built many schools and educational facilities, and trained more than 1,300 teachers, and those are in Indonesia alone. Since Sukanto’s operational areas are also in Singapore and China, he also provides educational supports for students in several areas in those countries.

Billionaires as Candidates for Global Education Champions

Billionaires can have great roles in education, especially since even just 1% of their entire wealth can really help for education projects such as library building or scholarships for basic educations. Unfortunately, most billionaires only contribute in more localized projects, and many are quiet secretive about their projects since philanthropy activities are considered by many as private matters. No billionaire has risen as the global education champion, and American billionaires (which counted as the most in numbers) tend to help locally.

The rising amounts of developing countries billionaires like Sukanto Tanoto are expected to bring change in determining the budget for education in a developing country.

Why Sukanto Tanoto Contribution Matters for Research and Development

Indonesia faces shortage in research papers and projects compared to other countries, even among fellow Asian countries. So far, Indonesian government only gives 0.05% of the total GDP for scientific research and development, while other Asian countries contribute at least 2%. Sukanto Tanoto, an owner of Royal Golden Eagle Group and Asian Agri, stepped in to fill the financial gap left by the government for scientific communities. He contributed many parts of his company’s CSR program budget toward education and scientific research and development.

Sukanto Tanoto Gives Grants for Researchers

There are many potential studies, phenomena and programs to be researched in scientific environment, but many researchers simply cannot do and finish their projects with more satisfying results because there is not much budget. Therefore, it is important for private companies, especially the ones with big revenues, to act in more philanthropic ways in using their CSR program budget. Sukanto Tanoto is one of the company owners that do just that. He stepped up in the world of Indonesian research and development field through his foundation, Tanoto Foundation.

Tanoto Foundation has special funding program for researchers, which is given to researchers and professors who conduct potential researches that can contribute to economy, social, science, health and many other important aspects, which support national prosperity. Tanoto Foundation Professor Award is given to Indonesian researchers and professors, which is a form of research grant that can worth as much as US$65,000 to US$130,000. 

Only recently, the foundation grants its award to two Indonesian professors who study about ganoderma fungus and sustainable energy source. Sukanto chose the two professors because the two researches were important because they support Indonesia’s agriculture and future energy needs.

Why Indonesia Needs More Researches

Researches, studies and developments are ways to grow various industries and professional fields in Indonesia to go forward. Since there are fast developments in various fields in the world, especially with the advance of communication and information technology, it is important for Asian countries to get more involved in scientific studies, especially with many Asian countries’ status as the new rising stars in the global economy.

Fulfilling his role in the world of Indonesia’s education, Sukanto Tanoto hopes that there are more private company owners who step down to help increasing support for scientific study, research and development fields, giving Indonesia opportunity to be one of reputable Asian countries with good track record in professional research.

Sukanto Tanoto is Not Interested in Building University

Education is a field that many people in the family of Sukanto Tanoto get involved at. Sukanto Tanoto started Tanoto Foundation, a philanthropy foundation that main work is supporting education. His wife, Tinah Bingei, and his children, Andreas and Imelda, are also involved in the foundation as members of board of trustee. The foundation spends around IDR 15 billion per year on students in Indonesia alone, and this money goes to scholarship programs for students from many different study fields.

Sukanto Tanoto also has program to build or renovate local schools and buy books and other teaching materials, as well as other supporting facilities like libraries. However, despite already having several schools and scholarship programs, Sukanto Tanoto family has no intention to build universities.

Cooperation, Key of Tanoto Foundation Programs

While Sukanto admitted that he is interested in building his own university under Tanoto Foundation, that program is still considered as too big. Since there are already many reputable universities in various areas in Indonesia, Sukanto Tanoto and family have not yet thinking about starting new of such educational institutions. Their principle in education is not competing against other institutions, but rather working together in similar goal of improving Indonesia’s quality of human resources.

According to Andreas Tanoto, Tanoto Foundation works by cooperating with other educational institutes to improve education in Indonesia and other countries where his father’s companies located, including in Singapore and China. So far, the programs have been successful in creating new generations of professionals and potential human resources. However, since the foundation does not aim to open universities, Tanoto Foundation chooses to work together with other universities.

Building School and Supporting Local Education

When it comes to build educational institution, Sukanto Tanoto with his foundation chooses to build elementary schools and supporting facilities. He gives financial support for farmers and locals who live within the operational areas of his factories so their children can finish basic education. As for schools outside his operational areas, he gives financial support and rebuilds their educational facilities such as libraries.

Recently, Tanoto Foundation has just built pre-school in Jakarta, with holistic concept. Started with professional early education teachers and staff members, Sukanto Tanoto hoped that the school not only encourages children to pursue basic education and increase their basic competencies, but also motivate their parents to earn better life and livelihood. He also plans to open similar schools for early education in several other areas.

Why Human Resources are the Most Important

There are many factors that influence level of prosperity in a country, and one of the most important things is human resource quality. That is the opinion of Sukanto Tanoto, the owner of Royal Golden Eagle Group that comprises of many successful companies in several countries. In Indonesia, he is famous as the owner of Asian Agri, a palm oil company famous for providing crude palm oil supply for local and international businesses.

According to him, while natural resources are important for a country’s industry, human resources hold more important roles. Good human resources will turn natural resources into sources of prosperity in efficient ways.

Education Important to Create Good Human Resources

As an owner of a palm oil company, Sukanto Tanoto thinks that natural resources will not bring any goodness if there are no high quality human resources that make use of them. Therefore, many of his CSR programs are related to education and training, both for the farmers and local communities around the company area. He believes that educating and training farmers, including the independent plasma farmers that are close with the company facilities, will bring more benefits to the company in the future.

Some of his programs are, such as: creating Asian Agri training center for local farmers, conducting training programs for plasma farmers, supporting education activities around local areas, fixing and developing local schools, and helping local children to go to school and earn scholarships. These are programs specifically chosen to emphasize the importance of education aspect in growing community economy, which finally will have impact on national prosperity.

Scholarships and Funding to Create better Human Resources

As a successful businessman who earned his wealth from self-learning (he stopped attending school at 17), Sukanto Tanoto realized that education will create better human resource quality and also give them better opportunities in the future. This is why he created scholarship, grant and funding program for students and lecturers, not only in Indonesia but also in other countries such as Singapore and China. His scholarships have helped many students continuing their education, and some of the scholarship recipients are also involved in his giving-back activities and events.

For Sukanto Tanoto, spending money to create high quality human resources is important for the long run, because high quality human resource gives more benefits to the company, which impacts on the national prosperity. Education, therefore, is the best investment someone can make for success, including the owner of multinational company.