Universitas Indonesia (UI) hosted a courtesy visit from SOAS University of London to explore potential collaborations and build upon their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The meeting focused on developing a sustainable and comprehensive new model of partnership, specifically targeting student mobility, joint degrees, and robust research collaborations.
The delegation from SOAS University of London was led by Prof. Adam Habib – Vice-Chancellor, and was accompanied by:
The Universitas Indonesia delegation was led by Prof. Ir. Mahmud Sudibandriyo, M.Sc., Ph.D. – Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, and was accompanied by:
During the meeting, the institutions discussed expanding student exchange, student mobility, short course programs, and visiting professor initiatives. Since SOAS focuses heavily on humanities, social, and economic sciences, both parties identified the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Faculty of Humanities (FIB), and Faculty of Administrative Science (FIA) as the most potential faculties for collaboration. A major highlight of the discussion was the development of reciprocal Joint and Dual Degree programs for Master’s and Ph.D. students. Financial support for these mobility programs will be strategically backed by the Indonesian Scholarship and Research Support Foundation (ISRSF) for Master’s and Ph.D. scholarships to SOAS, as well as the LPDP scholarship.
The meeting also explored an ambitious initiative to establish a Global Public Policy School. This multinational, bilateral partnership between Indonesia and the UK aims to create joint programs with local universities, featuring a joint curriculum, joint teaching, joint accreditation, and shared resources. Initially, the collaboration will focus on Economics, Finance, Global Development Policy, and Microeconomics before exploring partnerships in the Public Policy area. Furthermore, both institutions laid the groundwork for joint research and publications in humanities, social sciences, and economics, along with plans to send visiting scholars and visiting Ph.D. students to the SOAS Middle East Institute.
Highlighting specific faculty engagements, FEB proposed a 2+2 Scheme Joint Degree Program covering Economics, Management, Accounting, Islamic Business, and Islamic Finance, alongside a Fast Track program from Bachelor’s to Master’s degrees. Additionally, discussions regarding programs with LPEM detailed collaborative opportunities involving ISRSF and SEED Research Funding for Ph.D. and Postdoc candidates, as well as organizing joint research, workshops, and seminars.
Photo Credit: Directorate of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International Affairs
