Universitas Indonesia (UI), through its Directorate for Internationalization of Education, hosted a strategic meeting with representatives from Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), France, to explore and initiate academic collaborations between the two institutions. The session was led by Fadhilah Muslim, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., DIC, Director for Internationalization of Education, alongside UI’s international cooperation team.
As one of the largest multidisciplinary universities in France, AMU is home to 17 faculties and schools offering over 1,100 degree programs across five campuses located between Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. The French delegation included Ms. Daria Shebarova, International Partnerships Officer – Asia, Mr. Antoine Bricout, University and Education Cooperation Attaché, Mr. Gema Akbar Pratama, Deputy University Cooperation Attaché, and Ms. Chaymaa Neddad, University Cooperation Officer and Campus France Coordinator for Indonesia.
UI’s team consisted of Ms. Yunitha Fajarwati, Ms. Ranie Ismidiana Sary, Ms. Yura Meirani, and Ms. Hanny Kemala Fauster, who provided an overview of UI’s growing internationalization agenda, with a strong emphasis on building quality global partnerships.
During the meeting, both institutions recognized the structural differences in undergraduate education systems in Indonesia and France. As such, discussions centered around opportunities for collaboration at the graduate level, where more flexible alignment is possible. This direction aligns with UI’s strategic efforts to expand its international class offerings, particularly through joint and double degree programs.
In addition to program development, both UI and AMU addressed current challenges in student mobility, notably funding barriers stemming from the discontinuation of some fully funded scholarships such as IISMA. Despite these constraints, both parties expressed a shared commitment to finding sustainable mobility solutions and broadening access to international education.
As an initial step forward, UI and AMU agreed to exchange and promote information on their English-taught programs, ensuring greater visibility among students and faculty and laying the groundwork for deeper collaboration in the near future.
The meeting concluded with optimism on both sides, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in higher education and the potential for meaningful academic and cultural exchange between Indonesia and France.
Photo Credit: Directorate for Internationalization of Education
