Universitas Indonesia and Tongji University Reinvigorate Academic Partnerships Through Advanced Digital Education and Reciprocal Engineering Programs

Universitas Indonesia (UI) recently welcomed a distinguished courtesy visit from Tongji University to activate and significantly expand their existing educational partnership. The strategic dialogue focused on revitalizing reciprocal mobility, developing cutting-edge digital learning frameworks, and establishing joint degree pathways, particularly in engineering and future-ready disciplines.

The delegation from Tongji University included:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chen Yili – Director, International Office
• Dr. Zhang Yihuan – Alumnus of Tongji University; Assistant to the CEO, Shanghai Eager Technology Co., Ltd.
• Ms. Melody Trixie – Project Manager of Uoffer Indonesia

The Universitas Indonesia delegation was represented by:

• Fadhilah Muslim S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., DIC – Director for Internationalization of Education
• Prof. dr. Diantha Soemantri, M.Med.Ed, Ph.D. – Director of Digital Education Development
• Ir. Jaka Fajar Fatriansyah, M.Sc., Ph.D., ASEAN Eng., IPU – Head of the Sub-Directorate of International Education Development, Directorate for Internationalization of Education
• Yunitha Fajarwati S.Hum – Section Head, International Partnership, Directorate for Internationalization of Education

Building upon their actively established Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Student Exchange Agreement, both institutions agreed to reinvigorate student mobility and visiting professor programs. The collaboration will heavily prioritize strategic fields such as Environmental Engineering, Transportation, Smart Cities, Architecture, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). To deepen academic integration, the universities are actively exploring reciprocal International Dual-Degree frameworks specifically 2+2 undergraduate and 1+1 postgraduate structures, initiating within the engineering faculties, alongside potential Cotutelle Agreements for Ph.D. candidates.

Recognizing the shifting landscape of global learning, a major focal point of the meeting was the advancement of digital and borderless education. Representatives discussed the creation of a joint master’s blended program and specialized joint online courses tailored for corporate executives. Furthermore, the institutions plan to co-develop an engaging joint pre-university blended program for high school students. This 3-to-5-day summer school curriculum is designed to immerse young learners in emerging technologies, specifically drones, AI, and robotics. For current undergraduates, UI and Tongji will also curate tailor-made short courses centered around AI, robotics, and sustainable development.

The meeting concluded with a clear roadmap for actionable implementation. As immediate next steps, both universities will coordinate targeted online follow-up sessions. These will include dedicated discussions between Tongji’s foreign studies representatives and UI’s Faculty of Humanities (FIB), as well as comprehensive technical meetings to finalize the logistical details for the student exchange, dual-degree pathways, short courses, and joint executive programs.

Photo Credit: Directorate for Internationalization of Education