The ties between Leiden University and South East Asia, especially Indonesia, have been strong for centuries.

The region plays an important role in our international ambitions: our institute in Jakarta (KITLV) is essential for maintaining the close partnerships that have emerged over the years, but also leading in establishing new relations. The institute plays the roll of connector between staff and local partners, and as LDE Hub, it has a role coordinating LDE projects in the regions.

Broadening our scope to foster closer collaboration with partners in Singapore and the Philippines, the region offers numerous opportunities for joint education and research practices, with the aim to deliver a global impact.

In Indonesia many university-to-university collaborations have been established, as well on faculty-to-faculty level. Besides collaborating with Higher Education Institutions, we also have a long tradition in working with government organisations and institutions, such as the Indonesian National Archives and the Indonesian National Library.

Since 2024, Leiden University and the Asia Development Bank (ADB) committed to working together to provide academic expertise to the institution as well as to its projects befitting the region. This makes the ADB a priority partner over the years to come. As one the larger development banks in the world, working together on research and education activities could be translated to visible impact in the region.

The LDE Hub in Jakarta offers staff and students from Leiden, Delft and Erasmus opportunities to work with local partners on a myriad of projects. One of the largest initiatives is the participation in INUCoST, a consortium with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Mulawarman and the LDE partners, focusing on providing scientific expertise and advice to the Indonesian government around key policy themes, such as the construction of the new capital. In the slipstream of this large collaboration, LDE offers a joint minor in Jakarta, focusing on co-creating sustainable practices.

KITLV: Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies