UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), through its Airlangga Global Engagement (AGE) office, hosted an official visit from a delegation of King’s College London (KCL) on Wednesday (February 11, 2026) at the Balairua Meeting Room on Campus C. The meeting was aimed at exploring ways to strengthen educational collaboration between the two institutions.
The KCL delegation included Prof. Simon Tanner, University Lead for Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and Edward Danks, Partnerships Manager for China, East Asia and Southeast Asia, along with representatives from UNAIR’s Airlangga Global Engagement office.
Educational collaboration opportunities
The visit served as a platform for both universities to examine strategies for expanding their academic partnership. Discussions focused on developing joint academic and research initiatives, as well as increasing mobility opportunities for students and faculty members.
“This visit is intended not only to strengthen our existing partnership but also to explore new opportunities in key areas such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, and medical education. By enhancing student and faculty mobility and introducing master’s programs centered on technology and sustainability, we believe we can generate meaningful impact for both institutions and the wider community,” Prof. Tanner said.
The talks also included plans to introduce two new master’s programs this September. One proposed program, a Master of Science in Advanced Cybersecurity, is designed to address the growing demand for high-level expertise in digital security, even as similar programs are already offered by other universities.
On the research front, both institutions agreed to expand collaboration through a targeted matchmaking approach. The strategy is intended to connect scholars, institutions and academic fields that share aligned interests and complementary strengths.
“This targeted matchmaking approach allows us to identify academics, institutions and disciplines with shared priorities and expertise. We hope the partnership will continue to grow through reciprocal visits and joint workshops, further strengthening our research collaboration,” he added.
Strengthening research and professional engagement
In addition to full-degree academic programs, both universities highlighted the importance of professional education initiatives. These programs aim to close skills gaps in sectors such as media, creative industries and cybersecurity by offering training that is more specialized and industry-focused.
All proposed initiatives are aligned with priorities identified by the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in coordination with the government. As a result, program development is directed toward meeting national and sector-specific workforce demands. Particular emphasis is placed on technology and the creative industries, which are key focus areas within the region.
Author: Saffana Raisa Rahmania
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
