Jakarta, Feb. 24 -- Indonesia's Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar on Tuesday sent off 29 scholarship recipients from the Istiqlal Mosque Ulama Cadre Education Program for short courses in the United States.

The initiative aims to strengthen the academic capacity of Indonesia's future Islamic scholars through international academic networks.

Twenty-one students will study at the University of California, Riverside, while eight will attend Hartford International University.

"This opportunity does not come to everyone. Focus on learning, broaden your horizons, and value every moment," Nasaruddin Umar said in Jakarta.

He praised the participants for passing a competitive selection process, noting that studying in the United State...