Universitas Indonesia and CICEEA Explore Strategic Collaboration to Bridge Education and the Chinese-Indonesian Industrial Sector

Universitas Indonesia (UI) welcomed the inaugural visit of a delegation from the China-Indonesia Cultural and Educational Exchange Association (CICEEA) to present their respective institutional profiles and explore various potentials for future collaboration. This meeting marks a significant step in strengthening UI’s commitment to internationalization, particularly in expanding cooperation networks with strategic partners from China to foster mutually beneficial initiatives.

The delegation from CICEEA was led by Hu Haibin, B.Eng., M.Ec., MBA., Ph.D., President of CICEEA, accompanied by:

• Dr. Ir. Teguh Trianung Djoko Susanto, M.M. – Honorary Advisor
• Tania Bakrie, B.Arch., M.M. – Administrative Coordinator
• Christina Angelia – Translator

The Universitas Indonesia delegation was led by Prof. Ir. Mahmud Sudibandriyo, M.Sc., Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, joined by:

• Rouli Esther, M.Si., M.A., Ph.D. – Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs, Faculty of Humanities
• Fadhilah Muslim, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., DIC – Director of Internationalization of Education
• Dr. L.G. Saraswati Putri, S.S., M.Hum. – Director of Community Engagement and Social Innovation
• Dr. Kenny Lischer, S.T., M.T. – Director of Admissions
• Ir. Jaka Fajar Fatriansyah, M.Sc., Ph.D., ASEAN Eng., IPU – Head of the Sub-Directorate of International Education Development

During the discussion, CICEEA outlined its role as an association bridging inter-university cooperation with the support of both governments. Currently, CICEEA oversees approximately 100 universities in China and has established partnerships with around 500 Chinese investment companies operating in Indonesia. The association’s primary focus is to address the shortage of skilled labor and experts faced by the industrial sector through a collaboration model that integrates government guidance, university coordination, and active corporate participation.

Universitas Indonesia welcomed this initiative, noting UI’s existing experience in collaborating with various Chinese companies, including managerial-level training programs at the Faculty of Engineering. UI reaffirmed its readiness to develop programs aimed at producing a bilingual workforce and specialists with technical skills relevant to the needs of Chinese investment in Indonesia. This aligns with data showing that Indonesian workers proficient in Mandarin possess highly competitive career prospects, with the potential for significantly higher earnings in Chinese firms.

The discussion also touched upon concrete future steps, including the development of an information portal for job opportunities for students, the potential for organizing job fairs, and the possibility of opening specialized or executive classes. CICEEA committed to continuing its role as a bridge and catalyst for collaboration between the education and industrial sectors to ensure that the programs implemented deliver a tangible impact on society.

As a follow-up, the cooperation proposal from CICEEA will be distributed by the Directorate for Internationalization of Education (DIP) to the relevant faculties for further technical discussion. This meeting is expected to pave the way for a productive and sustainable partnership in support of Universitas Indonesia’s internationalization goals.

Photo Credit: Directorate of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International Affairs