At a glance

• 21 September 2026: date the agreement was signed in Jakarta
• 83,000: Thales employees worldwide, across 68 countries
• €20.6 billion: Thales sales in 2024
• 45+ years: Thales's time in Indonesia 

Most scholarships end at the airport gate. You get funded, you fly out, you study, and you come home to start job hunting. A new deal signed in Jakarta tries to change that order.

What Is the LPDP France Scholarship Patnership With Thales?

The LPDP-France scholarship is a funding programme from Indonesia's Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) for Indonesians studying Master's and PhD degrees in France. On 21 September 2026, at the French Residence in Jakarta, the French Embassy's Institut français d'Indonésie (IFI), LPDP and Thales Indonesia signed an agreement adding industry mentoring to the programme. LPDP still pays for the studies, while Thales supplies guidance and exposure to real industry problems. Neither the funding amount nor the exact number of students was made public.

Who Signed It, and Who Was in the Room?

Juliette Salabert, Cooperation and Cultural Counsellor of the French Embassy and Director of IFI, signed for France. Clément de Foucauld, Country Director of Thales Indonesia, signed for the company.

French Ambassador Fabien Penone and Vice Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology Stella Christie attended. So did two university heads: Prof. Dr. Ir. Tatacipta Dirgantara, Rector of Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), and Dr. Nelly, Rector of BINUS University.

The signing took place during a reception for Indonesian alumni of French higher education, including graduates of ENAC and ISAE-Supaero who now work in transport and aviation. They are the proof that this kind of study pays off later.

What Will Thales Actually Do for Students?

A dedicated group of students will get support from Thales teams throughout their studies. That means mentoring and guidance, plus help connecting their research to real industrial needs.

Internships and "discovery sessions" are on the table too, but the release says only that the partners "will explore" them. Nothing is promised yet.

"These bright students will not be left to navigate their studies alone."  Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN

Why Is a Defense Company Behind a Scholarship?

Here is the part worth sharing. Thales is a defense, aerospace and cyber company, and Vice Minister Stella Christie said openly that she hopes the programme produces a new generation experienced in defense technology. So this is not only a nice mentoring perk. It is also a talent pipeline for a strategic sector.

Thales has the research budget to back it up, investing more than €4 billion every year in R&D. It has also been in Indonesia for more than 45 years, working on air traffic management in the Makassar region and on the SATRIA-1 and Merah Putih 2 satellites.

Why Is This Happening Now?

In July 2026, officials from both countries met in Angers for the 14th Joint Working Group on Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. They looked at how universities, research institutions and companies could work more closely.

The two ministers adopted the resulting roadmap on 9 July. The Thales deal is the first concrete step, as Ambassador Penone put it.