In order to realize the potential for cooperation and collaboration, Universitas Indonesia (UI) received a visit from the Australian Embassy represented by Mr. Han Xiao Zhang and Claudina Milawati at Meeting Room A , 2nd floor of the University Administration Center, on Tuesday (10/08). This meeting is a new milestone for UI cooperation through a potential forms of collaboration.
Collaborative research and community empowerment programs play an important role in addressing contemporary global challenges, including community health and quality of life equity. The discussion was also a prelude to deeper cooperation between the Australia and more relevant UI faculties/studies, with the Center for University Administration (PAU) as the main hub.
The Secretary of Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Agustin Kusumayati, M.Sc., Ph.D., welcomed the visit, noting the significance of reactivating post-COVID-19 collaboration and cooperation between UI and Australia.
Meanwhile, Education and Research Counsellor, Han Xiao Zhang appreciated UI’s achievements of successfully producing a number of high-quality graduates and research. In this case, higher education institutions (UI) are crucial actors in improving productive and beneficial cooperative relationships. This opens up opportunities for broader research and policy collaboration between UI and Australia in providing visibility. As such, this meeting is expected to increase the level of collaboration between UI and Australia (and its campuses), as well as facilitate opportunities and intensive engagement measures post-COVID.
Research programs in the form of consortia have a positive track record. Matching Fund Program/Scheme is also the focus of potential collaboration proposed by UI. In addition, UI also proposes to increase student exchange reciprocity between UI and Australian campuses through programs that appeal to the educational and cultural experiences of students from both countries.
This student mobility program can be encouraged by schemes, one of which is the ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS-UI) which is in the ASEAN University Network. UI also provides extensive learning opportunities for overseas students through the UI-SHINE and UI-GREAT Programs, primarily to attract Australian students to study at UI. Vokasi UI also proposed P2P collaboration in community service, as well as research collaboration in the field of Greenmetric.
Mr. Zhang welcomed the proposals and was very interested in the potential cooperation offered by UI. He again underlined the significance of Indonesia as one of the priority destinations for international students. In this regard, Australia’s New Colombo Plan on student mobility/exchange was able to encourage intensive immigration support from UI to launch the program. Mr. Zhang also agreed on the important role of research programs for the development of both countries, and supported possible collaborations in the future.
Author: Giany Allysia Putri/Editor: Mariana S
