Universitas Indonesia (UI) has made significant strides on the global stage this month, forging new academic and research partnerships in Hong Kong and China while its Rector delivered keynote addresses at major international higher education summits. The series of engagements reflects UI’s commitment to positioning itself as a globally competitive institution capable of contributing solutions to pressing global challenges.
UI Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah appeared as a prominent figure at the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Universities Summit 2026, held from April 22 to 24 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Held under the theme “Igniting Global Transformation: Asia’s Leadership,” the summit brought together over 600 university presidents, policymakers, and industry leaders from 25 countries and regions.
At the summit, Rector Heri highlighted the critical role universities must play in an era marked by rapid technological disruption, climate change, geopolitical shifts, and economic uncertainty. He emphasized that universities can no longer function merely as traditional centers of knowledge transfer, they must become institutions that equip students with the adaptive capacities needed to face challenges that have yet to be defined.
“The goal of higher education is not simply to produce job-ready graduates, but to shape agile innovators and globally responsible citizens,” said Prof. Heri.
He further stressed that the strength of a university lies in its diversity and dynamism, and that through deeper regional and international collaboration, universities can transform disruption into strategic opportunity. The summit also served as a platform for UI to affirm its commitment to accessible global education and to expand its network of institutional partnerships across Asia.
On the sidelines of the Inauguration of the Indonesia–China Animation and Game Research and Development Center in Shanghai on April 25, UI signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Shanghai Cangyou Culture Co., Ltd., a company specializing in animation, gaming, and international cultural events.
The agreement was signed by Rector Heri Hermansyah and Chen Zhilong, Chairman of Shanghai Cangyou Culture Co., Ltd. Under the partnership, Shanghai Cangyou will serve as a strategic partner to UI in educational development, including opening pathways for Chinese students to pursue degree and non-degree programs at UI.
UI will provide curriculum, teaching staff, and certification systems to support training programs for students, industry professionals, and government officials in China. Chinese learners will also gain access to UI’s online courses, open courses, and micro-credential programs, with the possibility of credit transfer arrangements being explored.
Beyond academic exchange, the two institutions have committed to building a global creative platform by jointly organizing the “Indonesia–China International Digital Art and Creativity Competition” an initiative designed to bring young talents together and foster innovation at the international level. Academic mobility will be further strengthened through faculty and student visits, public lectures, workshops, and art exhibitions.
The partnership is also expected to provide consulting and training services for Chinese companies seeking to enter the Indonesian market, covering areas such as workforce management, consumer research, and institutional relations with the government.
In another major development, UI formalized strategic research partnerships with two of Hong Kong’s leading universities. HKUST and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) focusing on strategic health research, particularly in the areas of tropical diseases and medical device technology.
The collaboration encompasses a range of concrete programs, including student and faculty exchanges, the development of collaborative research proposals, and the exploration of double and joint degree programs under 3+1 and 4+0 schemes, arrangements that allow students to study across borders and earn degrees from two universities simultaneously.
Rector Heri Hermansyah underscored that strengthening international networks is essential for producing research that has broad societal impact. “We are optimistic that this partnership will open up more opportunities for students, faculty, and researchers to thrive in the global ecosystem,” he said.
The partnership builds on UI’s established track record in international research. Previously, UI collaborated with the University of Oxford on tuberculosis vaccine clinical trials, a project that secured up to USD 20 million in funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation a testament to the global recognition of UI’s research quality.
Globally, UI currently ranks 189th in the QS World University Rankings, with an upward trajectory in competitiveness. Both HKUST and CUHK, which are ranked among the world’s top 50 universities, view Indonesia as a strategic partner for expanding their research networks and academic presence in Southeast Asia.
UI’s active participation across multiple international forums this month, from the THE Asia Universities Summit to high-level bilateral meetings in Hong Kong and China reflects a broader institutional strategy to deepen global engagement while staying responsive to the evolving needs of the higher education landscape.
Through these partnerships, UI is positioning itself not just as a national institution, but as a bridge between Indonesia and the global community, generating research-based solutions to health, technology, and creative industry challenges, and opening doors for the next generation of Indonesian students and scholars to compete on the world stage.
