Universitas Indonesia (UI) held a bilateral meeting with Kagoshima University, Japan, to discuss strategies for strengthening ongoing academic collaboration and expanding student mobility between the two institutions. The meeting focused on enhancing reciprocal exchange programs and exploring new areas of cooperation beyond existing agreements.
Delegation from Kagoshima University
Chihaya Koriyama – Vice President for International Affairs
Kojiro Higashi – Specially Appointed Expert
Ayako Hamasaki – Chief, International Cooperation Division
Delegation from Universitas Indonesia
Fadhilah Muslim, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., DIC – Director, Internationalization of Education
Yunitha Fajarwati, S.Hum. – Section Head, International Education Partnership, Directorate for Internationalization of Education
Universitas Indonesia and Kagoshima University currently maintain an active Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Student Exchange Agreement. While student mobility from UI to Kagoshima University has been relatively active, the meeting highlighted the need to encourage greater participation of Kagoshima University students in exchange programs at UI.
To address this imbalance, UI proposed several initiatives, including the promotion of its short-course programs as a flexible option to attract more inbound students from Kagoshima University. UI currently offers 33 undergraduate programs delivered in English, providing broader access for international students.
The discussion also explored potential collaboration in additional academic and research areas, including:
Visiting professor programs
Joint supervision for graduate students
Expansion of collaboration beyond dentistry to include agriculture and engineering
Disaster management research, with a particular focus on island and volcanic studies, reflecting Kagoshima University’s academic strengths
Currently, the Faculty of Dentistry remains the most active unit in collaboration between the two universities. Both parties expressed interest in diversifying faculty involvement to maximize institutional engagement.
Kagoshima University shared details of its academic calendar, which runs from April–September and October–March, with classes typically concluding by late July and late January, followed by final examinations. Flexible academic arrangements are possible for elective and research-based programs, opening opportunities for customized exchange formats.
UI also expressed readiness to organize a summer program for a minimum of 10 students, with the possibility of launching at least one thematic program this year. UI will follow up by sharing a list of potential topics developed in collaboration with its faculties.
The meeting also discussed the availability of the MEXT Scholarship, particularly in the field of neuroscience at the doctoral level, as well as the importance of strengthening alumni networks, including ongoing engagement with Indonesian students studying at Kagoshima University.
Both universities agreed to continue discussions through a follow-up Zoom meeting to address technical aspects related to student exchange and mobility arrangements. This meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of Universitas Indonesia and Kagoshima University to fostering balanced, sustainable, and mutually beneficial international academic cooperation.
Photo Credit: Directorate for Internationalization of Education
