Khofifah said East Java is aligning its senior secondary education system with the needs of higher education to ensure a smoother and fairer transition for students from high school to university.
She said the approach is aimed at improving access and outcomes for students across the province.
The meeting, held at the Chinese consul general’s residence in Surabaya, focused on cooperation in human resource development through student scholarships, training for vocational high school teachers, manufacturing partnerships and the export potential of edible bird’s nests.
Khofifah outlined Indonesia’s university admissions system, which combines test-based pathways with non-test routes that rely on academic and non-academic achievements.
She said results for the non-test pathway are typically announced in March and are based on students’ performance records.
She added that from 2020 to 2025, students from East Java consistently ranked highest nationwide in gaining admission to public universities, both through test-based and achievement-based pathways.
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Khofifah said the East Java provincial government operates six boarding schools designed to prepare future leaders with global competitiveness.
She said the schools allow the province to better prepare students when international scholarship opportunities, including those to China, become available.
On trade, Khofifah said East Java has a strong manufacturing base, contributing 31.16 percent to the province’s economy in the third quarter of 2025, a figure higher than the national average.
One export commodity discussed was edible bird’s nest, which Khofifah said has strong potential in the Chinese market provided international quarantine and export standards are met.
She said proper standards and close cooperation would help boost shipments to China.
Chinese Consul General Ye Su welcomed East Java’s commitment to deeper cooperation, particularly in education and trade.
He said China is open to expanding collaboration through scholarships, training programs and partnerships in manufacturing and commerce, citing East Java’s strong institutional support and economic potential.
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Translator: Willi Irawan, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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