A 16-Year Milestone: Universitas Indonesia and Deakin University Reaffirm Commitment to Global Education

Universitas Indonesia (UI) recently held a productive meeting with a delegation from Deakin University to celebrate a 16-year partnership characterized by sustainability and mutual success. The discussion focused on further strengthening these ties, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the student experience and exploring high-impact collaborative initiatives across various disciplines.

The delegation from Deakin University was led by Ms. Chaturika Bandara, Head of International Strategy and Partnerships, accompanied by:

• Ms. Zoe Brown – Chief of Staff, International Operations
• Ms. Praveena Bharath – International Manager
• Ms. Lina Darliana – Country Director, Deakin International Indonesia Office
• Mr. Bima Fitriandana – Research Partnership Manager
• Mr. Sebastian Gunawan – Partnership Coordinator, Deakin University Indonesia Office

The Universitas Indonesia delegation was led by:

• Ir. Jaka Fajar Fatriansyah, M.Sc., Ph.D., ASEAN Eng., IPU – Head of the Sub-Directorate of International Education Development
• Yunitha Fajarwati, S.Hum. – Section Head of International Partnership

During the meeting, Deakin University highlighted its commitment to Indonesia as a key focus area, designating Universitas Indonesia as a priority partner. Deakin, recognized for its excellence in student experience and employability, proposed focusing future collaborations on top-ranked fields and developing more accessible program models for students. Both institutions also discussed the renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will undergo a standard legal review by Deakin to ensure continuity of the current frameworks.

The discussion also addressed strategic recruitment, acknowledging challenges in certain sectors such as the Faculty of Computer Science (Fasilkom). To overcome these hurdles, both parties agreed to prioritize initiatives with optimal potential for success and impact. UI also shared the UI–UQ Centre as a benchmark model for effective collaboration management.

Looking forward, several new areas for cooperation were identified. The opening of international classes within UI’s Faculty of Nursing presents a promising opportunity for partnership, alongside potential collaborations in the field of Law. Furthermore, the significant Indonesian diaspora in Melbourne was noted as a valuable asset that could support and strengthen bilateral activities. Both universities agreed to schedule a follow-up online discussion to finalize the technical details and implementation plans for these initiatives.

Photo Credit: Directorate for Internationalization of Education