Universitas Indonesia (UI) received a visit from Auburn University, one of the largest universities in Alabama, United States (US), on Thursday (20/6), at the UI University Administration Center Building. The delegation was led by Auburn University’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Vini Nathan, and warmly welcomed by UI’s Secretary, dr. Agustin Kusumayati, M.Sc., Ph.D. and other UI leaders.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Agustin said that this meeting was a good opportunity to strengthen cooperation between UI and Auburn University. “This is the first step and a good sign for UI to receive a visit from Auburn University, especially to expand UI’s internationalization to the American continent,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Vini Nathan expressed her interest in expanding cooperation, considering that previously the two universities had worked together through a double degree program at the Department of Metallurgy and Materials, Faculty of Engineering UI for a double degree program at the Department of Metallurgy and Materials (Memorandum of Agreement in 2016). The agreement has not been renewed since the Covid-19 pandemic. “Through this visit, we hope that this cooperation can be continued and expanded with other scientific fields, such as pharmacy, science, psychology, and social humanities,” said Dr. Vini.
For this reason, representatives from several faculties also attended the meeting to discuss programs that can be carried out together. On the research program, the Dean of the UI Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Dr. apt. Arry Yanuar, M.Si., offered research collaboration between students and lecturers at both universities related to drug use and development. Meanwhile, the Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs of the UI Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Nurul Isnaeni, Ph.D., expressed his readiness to collaborate because FISIP has an Institute for Social and Political Research and Development (LPPSP).
As for the student exchange program, the Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs of the UI Faculty of Psychology, Dicky C. Pelupessy, Ph.D, offered joint supervision and summer school programs that were successfully held with partner campuses from Australia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Eva Latifah, S.S., Ph.D., Manager of Cooperation and Ventures at the UI Faculty of Cultural Sciences, was also interested in organizing a summer school. According to her, the UI International Language Institute is very open in developing foreign languages, especially Korean and Mandarin, which have research centers at Auburn University.
Assistant Provost for International Programs, Dr. Andrew Gillespie welcomed the cooperation program with UI. He agreed with the various proposals offered considering the scientific fields developed by UI have similarities with Auburn University. Currently, Auburn University offers educational programs with the most popular majors, including Business, Management, Marketing; Engineering; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Communication and Journalism; Agriculture/Animal/Crop/Veterinary Sciences; Education; Health Professions; Fine and Performing Arts; Consumer and Family Sciences/Human Sciences; and Social Sciences. Therefore, their collaboration is expected to materialize and provide widespread benefits.
