UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga ( UNAIR ) is spreading its wings in terms of collaboration—both collaboration with domestic and international institutions. One higher education institution with a good relationship with UNAIR is Leiden University, in the Netherlands.

In this regard, in September 2022, UNAIR Rector visited Leiden University to discuss potential collaborations. Prof. Dr. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih MSi, Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Community Development (RICD), explained that the visit aimed at various collaboration potentials.

The good relationship between Leiden University and UNAIR will later result in a big project in the form of Airlangga Institute for Indian Ocean Crossroad. “During his visit to Leiden University, Rector of UNAIR had a discussion with the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) there regarding establishing an Asian study center at UNAIR,” said Prof. Nyoman.

Later on, this study center will focus not only on social or political studies but also on various disciplines. “This study center will also involve multidisciplinary sciences,” explained Prof. Nyoman. At the beginning of its establishment, this study center will carry out its actions with Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Faculty of Humanities, and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

“We will start this study center with four science clusters, but in the future, we will add more knowledge clusters. In the future, we want this study center to become a multidisciplinary science development,” she explained.

Leiden University responded well to this. Leiden University sent its envoy Marrik Bellen to hold a discussion at UNAIR on Monday, March 6, 2023. It doesn’t stop here, the leadership of Leiden University and 24 delegation members will visit Indonesia in May 2023. This delegation consists of academics from various disciplines at Leiden University.

“The visit to Indonesia was planned for a long time but was delayed due to Covid-19. Later the first visit will be made to UNAIR,” said Marrik.

Prof. Nyoman believes that the collaboration will significantly contribute to the development of science. “We believe that by working together, we can make a significant contribution to academic research. Apart from that, it can benefit the community,” she concluded. (*)

Author: Icha Nur Imami Puspita

Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh