UNAIR NEWS – In a joint effort to reinforce inter-university collaboration, rectors of state universities across East Java convened for a working meeting hosted by Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
The event brought together top leadership from several public universities in East Java, including Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA), Universitas Brawijaya (UB), Universitas Negeri Malang (UM), Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur (UPN), Universitas Trunojoyo Madura (UTM), Universitas Jember (UNEJ), UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, UIN Kiai Haji Achmad Siddiq Jember, and UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung.
Driving meaningful impact
The meeting, held at the Amerta Hall on the 4th floor of UNAIR’s MERR-C campus, opened with welcoming remarks from UNAIR Rector Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih. He expressed appreciation for the gathering and emphasized the importance of universities serving as agents of public benefit. “We aim to become impactful institutions. Rankings are not the end goal; our true objective is to be useful, productive, and impactful in society,” he stated.
To achieve this vision, Prof. Nasih, who is also a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, encouraged university leaders to enhance the implementation of the Tri Dharma Higher Education—three pillars encompassing education, research, and community service. “Let’s improve the quality of our teaching, research, and community services. If we do that, Insyaallah, we’ll achieve even more,” he affirmed.
Value of collaboration
Chair of the East Java State University Rector Consortium, Prof. Dr. Nurhasan MKes, stressed that collaboration is essential for advancing higher education institutions. “Today’s meeting is a moment of solidarity, a shared response to the aspirations laid out by the Ministry of Education. We must move forward together, through strong collaboration and mutual support,” he said.
Prof. Nurhasan also called for a shift in mindset across academic institutions. He emphasized the need for agility in adapting to both national and global developments. “That’s why we are all here—to share ideas, align strategies, and strengthen our institutions together,” he added.
In closing, Prof. Nurhasan reiterated that collaborative synergy would be the key to elevating East Java’s public universities to national and international prominence. “Let’s advance together—for East Java and our nation. Together, we can build the synergy needed to create world-class institutions,” he concluded.
Author: Yulia Rohmawati
