Realizations 2020-2023 - Planned activities in 2024

Preparations International Business School

On November 20, 2020, the R&D International Foundation was established through notary Yves De Vil in Borgerhout, Belgium. The aim of the Foundation is to establish, build and manage the R&D International Business School in Tasikmalaya, Indonesia. The founders of the Foundation have for years maintained a special and very active relationship with this 'Kabupaten' or Regency, which was ruled by the family of the founders and Board Members in the past centuries. The establishment fits in with decades of support for University Siliwangi (establishment of the Edgar Brood Academic Chair and extensive study programs with support from, among others, the European Union), the (re)construction of primary and secondary schools, the development of new infrastructure (airport, port, roads ) and combating child malnutrition (OTIFA).

Subsequently, the so-called 'ANBI status' was applied for in The Netherlands in line with the Foundation's objective.  status. Such status is reserved for foundations that work for the public good; donations are therefore tax deductible. The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, which grants the ANBI status, requested the Foundation's Board to make some changes to the articles of association in order to acquire the ANBI status. These instructions were followed by the Foundation Board, so that the foundation was formally granted ANBI status on February 3, 2022 (retroactive as of November 20, 2020).

In accordance with the 2022 policy program, meetings were held from 25 May to 2 June 2022 in Tasikmalaya, Indonesia with the following persons from University Siliwangi: Dr. Ir. Nundang Busaeri (Rector), Prof. Deden Mulyana (Vice Rector), Eva Santiana (Head of Cooperation center) and Prof. Ir. Unang (Agri Expert). University Siliwangi is a state university in Tasikmalaya, South West Java, Indonesia. This led to the following conclusions: 1) University Siliwangi (UNSIL) is willing to make a piece of land next to the current Rectorate building available for the construction of the R&D International Business School (R&D IBS) for free; 2) UNSIL is required by statute to have a major say in the policy and governance of the R&D IBS; 3) the current obsolete building on the plot of land may be removed; 4) The R&D International Foundation (R&D IF) will submit plans to UNSIL for approval of a new modest but effective building to be constructed; 5) the legal structure of the relationship between the R&D IF and UNSIL will be advised by an expert civil law notary.

On May 30, 2022, consultations took place between the R&D IF and notary Rina Marlina in Lengkongsari, Tawang, Tasikmalaya. This consultation resulted in the following: 1) The establishment of a local foundation under Indonesian law to manage and finance the R&D International Business School is not required. A notary in Jakarta had recommended this, but notary Marlina indicated that this could lead to unnecessary complications. She gave examples from third parties and insisted that the objectives and policy intentions of the R&D IBS were better secured by a direct relationship between the R&D IF and the R&D IBS. She also recommended appointing a mixed Indonesian-Dutch Advisory Board/Curatorium comprising representatives of/on behalf of R&D IF, science, international and local business and, of course, UNSIL. A cooperation agreement between R&D IF and UNSIL is planned to be agreed and next published in its entirety on this website.

In The Netherlands, consultations took place with the Mrs. Ankje Grapperhaus, Chairman of the successful Edgar Brood Academic Chair Foundation for English and Information Technology (EBAC) at UNSIL, founded at the time by the family and friends of the late Dr Edgar Brood. On behalf of her Board, Mrs. Grapperhaus announced the decision that the Edgar Brood Chair will be integrated into the new R&D International Business School. This decision will be laid down in a formal cooperation agreement between EBAC and R&D IF.

Consultations also took place with Drs Nanak Hikmatullah, current holder of the Edgar Brood Chair. He accepted the invitation to be appointed Director of the future R&D International Business School. During his current PhD studies in the United States as a Fulbright scholarship holder, he will also be proficient in key elements of business school education. Safira Chaerani has already been appointed as future secretary of the IBS management team. International banker Rully Ferdiansyah accepted the invitation to be appointed unpaid external financial supervisor for this management team.

With this, the R&D International Business School has become a direct part of the R&D International Foundation, whose Board Members and management team have already been appointed and notarized in Belgium. This Board will now be able to appoint an Indonesian/Dutch Advisory Board that also has the function of Curatorium. The distinguished member of the Indonesian DPR (Parliament) Ms. Nurhayati Effendi (from Tasikmalaya) and members of the Prawira Adiningrat family (Jati Hidayat, Director of Indonesia's largest daily newspaper 'Jawa Pos', and Rully Ferdiansyah, senior manager of a Singaporean bank) have already agreed to serve on this Board.

During meetings from May 26 to June 2, 2022 in Jakarta with the relevant Prawira Adiningrat family members and the former Chief Editor of the renowned The Jakarta Post, Endy Bayuni – who was also willing to take a seat on the Board – it was established that the future R&D IBS building should accommodate a maximum of 50 'top' students per year. These must be selected through a strict merits-only admission procedure, especially from less wealthy families. The course will require a prior bachelor's degree in several subjects and will last one year. The emphasis will be on: 1) working in an international company; 2) establishing and managing one's own internationally oriented company; 3) fully integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into the objectives of one's own company or business operations.

Based on these consultations in Tasikmalaya and Jakarta, it was confirmed that the future R&D IBS building will have two lecture halls for 25 people each, a secretariat for 4 people, a boardroom and two department rooms. In addition, at least one guest room with modest kitchen and sanitary facilities will be built.

It was confirmed that the building will have to meet all sustainability and earthquake-resistant standards. Therefore, thoughts turn to a structure consisting of steel and melamine walls modeled on the PA International Foundation-initiated construction of a large community center after the tsunami in Aceh in 2004. Experience has shown that such a building can be realized very quickly and is extremely resistant to the characteristics of nature in Tasikmalaya. The R&D IF has already made specific and relatively expensive lecture room facilities available.

On this basis, the following decisions are further prepared and implemented in the course of 2024:

1. A step-by-step plan for the R&D IBS governance structure and its implementation

2. First formal appointments to the Advisory Board/Curatorium R&D IBS

3. An architectural study for the construction of the R&D IBS

4. A draft curriculum for an initial IBS Summer Course and the one-year IBS course

5. A multi-year budget for the R&D IBS including a financing plan – based on donations from the R&D International Foundation

6. Consultation with UNSIL on points 1-4 leading to implementing decisions

7. Start of construction of the R&D IBS

8. Projections regarding the first 5 years of the R&D IBS with a cautious and limited start-up in 2024/25

9. Preparation for the opening of the R&D IBS building

10. Opening of the R&D IBS building and selection of the first group of a limited number of students

11. Start of the IBS Summer Course for a limited number of students

12. Evaluation of the Summer Course and preparation for the next Academic Year.