Universitas Indonesia (UI), which currently has 14 faculties, 2 postgraduate programs, and 1 vocational education program, continues to strive to improve its brand as a leading university in the country and respected at the global level. “UI’s target is to become a university that is always at the top of the public’s mind, having a reputation as one of the best universities in Southeast Asia to the Asian level, even the world,” said Dra. Amelita Lusia, MSi., CPR, Head of the UI Public Relations Bureau and Public Information Disclosure.
Apart from excelling in the academic field, the entire academic community works together to maintain UI’s good name in the social environment wherever they are. To maintain its existence, UI residents – from students to lecturers – actively participate in competitions, conferences, seminars and exhibitions at home and abroad every year.
One of the elements at UI is the Public Relations Bureau and Public Information Disclosure (KIP) which has the responsibility of conveying all good news from UI to the public. The delivery of good news is carried out through various channels owned by UI, such as the website, social media platforms such IG, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, UI Teve, UI e-magazine, and participating in offline activities at schools, as well as taking part in various international scale events.
This year, for example, UI took part in the international exhibition “The 75th NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo” which was held at the Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, USA (30th of May–2nd of June 2023). This event is the largest international higher education exhibition and conference attended by hundreds of universities and educational institutions from various countries or approximately 9000 participants.
On this occasion, UI displayed a variety of innovative programs, products and services that support international standard learning. There are four collaborative programs that have been implemented by UI with overseas university partners, namely Research, Mobility Programs for Lecturers, Mobility Programs for Students, and Master’s Degree Scholarship.
The Rector of Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., PhD, said that UI’s involvement in the NAFSA 2023 Annual Conference and Expo was part of UI’s efforts to implement higher education transformation policies. “We really encourage UI’s participation in international events like this, which allows us to benchmark with other universities,” he said. He hopes that in events like this, UI will get positive exposure and engagement that will benefit UI networking.
Amelita Lusia, who attended the NAFSA 2023 Annual Conference and Expo, believes that UI’s participation in an event as big as NAFSA is a great networking platform. “By expanding international cooperation partners, UI is contributing to the success of the Independent Campus Learning Program which was initiated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology,” she said.
After NAFSA, UI took part in the 2023 EAIE Conference and Exhibition at the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands (25th–29th of September 2023). UI’s participation in the EAIE Conference and Exhibition 2023 (European Association for International Education) aims to reactivate academic mobility and international education programs as well as increase other collaboration opportunities.
This event was attended by more than 100 countries in the world with 6700 participants. According to Amelita, who attended the EAIE Conference and Exhibition, there were 241 exhibitors at this activity who came from various universities throughout the world. UI’s participation will certainly increase the number of collaborations significantly as Erasmus+ partners with European universities. Erasmus+ is one of the most recognized programs in Europe, supporting education, training, youth and sport. UI’s collaboration with Erasmus+ provides access for mobility for students, lecturers, and staff, which has a positive impact on increasing the number of mobility both inbound and outbound.
At EAIE 2023, UI opened a booth and explained to the visitors who came that UI is a sustainable campus (green campus). As a green campus, UI really pays attention to environmental sustainability factors related to the 18 SDGs points.
SDGs is an agenda agreed upon by UN members in 2015. It encourages various changes based on human rights and equal social, economic and environmental development. At UI, active forms of supporting SDGs include implementation through the use of campus buses, use of solar energy, waste management, recycling waste, and projects carried out in collaboration with partners. UI public relations reported all these projects to the public/society.
Not long ago, UI was invited to be an exhibitor at The 2nd Incheon GCED (Global Citizenship Education) Festival (for Special Guests) in Incheon, South Korea, which was held at the Songdo Convensia on 31st of October–1st of November 2023. More than 7000 visitors (from elementary to high school students, parents, teachers, educational institutions, non-profit institutions) and participants attended this event. On this occasion, which carried the theme of environmental sustainability, Ban Ki-moon, former secretary general of the United Nations, was present as the keynote speaker.
This good opportunity was used by UI, represented by Gunawan, Head of New Student Admissions at UI, and Amelita Lusia, to take a close look at the world of education in South Korea which is currently advancing rapidly. The education sector is one of the fundamental factors of development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). South Korea seems to have realized this, which included elements of concern for the environment and sustainability as material at the 2nd Incheon GCED (Global Citizenship Education) Festival.
The results of direct observations and experiences from within the country and abroad, including from Incheon, Washington DC, Rotterdam, can be utilized by UI for its various sustainability programs. In the current era, caring for the environment is a responsibility that cannot be ignored.
