Returning to Indonesia 1998/1999

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Section IV: Now You Are Home

Information Sources – AmCham and IIE

A Brief History of AmCham

AmCham Indonesia has its earliest roots in a committee formed in 1971, consisting of individuals representing American companies operating in Indonesia. The committee, which became known as the American Businessmen's Group, held informal meetings with the US Embassy and other key officials to gain greater insight into government policies.

In 1972, with the rapid growth of American investment in Indonesia, an American Chamber was first proposed. A special meeting of the American Businessmen's Group was called on July 13, 1973 to further discuss this idea. After reviewing the objectives of other American Chambers, the Chamber founders decided that the goal of the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia would be to express the opinions of the business community on trade, commerce, finance, agriculture, and industry, and to disseminate useful information among Chamber members. From its inception, the Chamber acknowledged the importance of cooperative efforts, supplementing the activities of existing organizations rather than duplicating them. AmCham also emphasized the importance of being sensitive, as an organization comprising mainly foreigners and foreign business interests, to the concerns and interests of the host country, Indonesia.

By 1974, AmCham was well on its way to its current organizational structure. A constitution was drafted and approved, and the first officer elected. In July 1977, a signing ceremony was held between KADIN (the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce) and AmCham, establishing a KADIN Indonesia Komite Amerika Serikat (KIKAS), a joint committee of KADIN and AmCham.

AmCham Today

During 1998–99, AmCham remains true to its early goals of serving as the voice of America's business community and maintaining a spirit of cooperation with other organizations. Its size and activities have increased substantially through the years. Today, AmCham has nearly 600 members representing over 350 companies. It maintains 20 committees, issues several publications including a newsletter, conducts a well-regarded survey of investor attitudes, hosts prominent Indonesian and American guest speakers, and provides briefings for potential investors. AmCham also meets with prominent US and Indonesian government officials to promote Indonesian-American business interests.

Board of Governors

The Institute of International Education (IIE)

IIE offers clients 77 years of experience in international education and training. Governments, corporations, foundations, and non-governmental organizations worldwide use IIE services for the following reasons:

• Build scientific and managerial skills

• Enable scholars, teachers, artists, journalists, and government and industry leaders to expand their international knowledge and experience

• Support countries' transition from controlled economies and institutions to free-market, democratic ones

• Help NGOs expand their outreach and effectiveness

• Build the international networks and knowledge essential to preserve and protect the global environment

IIE is a US-based private, not-for-profit organization. We provide specialized expertise and access to international education and training resources, from leading research universities to the factory floor.

IIE's headquarters are in New York City and regional offices are located in Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. IIE's overseas offices are located in Bangkok, Budapest, Cairo, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kiev, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, New Delhi, Pretoria, and Windhoek.

In Indonesia, IIE is represented by the International Education Foundation (IEF). IEF offers a range of services and resources for educational exchange. They include administration of scholarship training programs for private and government institutions, organization of the annual US University Fair in Indonesia, and an extensive testing program, including the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL), Institutional Testing Program (ITP), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

World Headquarters:

Institute of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
U.S.A.
Tel: (212) 883-8200
Fax: (212) 984-5452

Indonesian Cooperating Institution:

International Education Foundation
Menara Imperium, 28th Floor, Suite B
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 1
Jakarta 12980
Indonesia
Tel: (62-21) 831-7304
Fax: (62-21) 831-7306
E-mail: ief@indo.net.id