It is indeed a great honor but also an enormous, extraordinarily challenging responsibility for me to be appointed as a Humboldt Ambassador Scientist for Indonesia by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany (www.humboldt-foundation.de).

The noble intention of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to advance research through international research standards with a variety of programs must have surely been felt by those who have become Humboldt fellows.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has made itself a home for all of its alumni – the facilities extended during our research in Germany, the research quality and output all significantly support future careers created through cooperation and network established while being a Humboldt fellow, including the support of the accompanying family, above average welfare in comparison with other postdoctoral fellows in other parts of the world, and above all else, with the slogan "once a Humboldtian, forever a Humboldtian".

This foundation has also supported so many activity programs when the grantees and awardees have successfully completed their research in Germany, throughout their career and life-span. With such affluence and luxury extended, I feel that the responsibility as a Humboldt Ambassador scientist is a golden opportunity which should not be enjoyed by only a handful of Indonesian researchers. There ought to be as many Indonesian researchers as possible who should know Humboldt programs, participate in the programs, secure as much knowledge and experiences as possible during their postdoctoral study, benefit from collaboration and alumni network spread widely all over the world, and return home to develop our luminous Indonesia.

I would like all Ph.D. holders in Indonesia, all universities and research institutions, especially the Ministry of National Education and Culture, the Ministry of Research and Technology, to have access to all Alexander von Humboldt programs in Germany and make use of them to their full extent.

With a transparent selection system, based solely on good research track records, many outstanding researchers will definitely have an opportunity to become a Humboldt fellow. Through Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, there had been more than 40 Nobel laureates and well-known scientists in their own respective countries.

As a Humboldt Ambassador scientist for Indonesia, collaborating with the president of Humboldt Club Indonesia, Dr. L. T. Handoko (LIPI), I am ready and willing to provide information to academics and researchers who need to know more about the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation programs.

Please visit this website: www.humboldt-foundation.de


Warmest regards,

Leenawaty Limantara, Ph.D
Humboldt ambassador scientist for Indonesia
E-mail: leenawaty.limantara@machung.ac.id