UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), one of Indonesia’s best higher education institutions, remains committed to fostering collaborations across various fields. As part of this ongoing effort, UNAIR recently welcomed the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia on Friday, September 27, 2024.
His Excellency Masaki Yasushi, Japan’s Ambassador to Indonesia, was warmly received by UNAIR’s Rector, Prof. Dr. M. Nasih, SE, MT, Ak, and Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Digitalization, and Information, Prof. Muhammad Miftahussurur, dr., MKes, SpPD-KGEH, PhD, FINASIM. The meeting took place on the fourth floor of UNAIR’s MERR-C Campus Management Office.
Ambassador Masaki was accompanied by key officials, including Mr. Tanaka Motoyasu, Director of the Political Division at the Japanese Embassy, and Mr. Takeyama Kenichi, Consul General of Japan in Surabaya. Also present were UNAIR’s Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof. Dr. Purnawan Basundoro, SS, MHum, and the Head of the Japanese Language and Literature Program, Nunuk Endah Srimulyani, SS, MA, PhD.
Prof. Nasih expressed his appreciation for the ambassador’s visit, emphasizing that it highlights the strong partnership between UNAIR and Japan, particularly in higher education and research, which benefits both nations and their institutions.
“I deeply appreciate Mr. Masaki’s visit to UNAIR. Japan has always been a close and supportive partner, and we value their contributions to our collaborative efforts in advancing education,” Prof. Nasih stated.
(Photo: PKIP UNAIR)
Expanding collaboration
H.E. Masaki Yasushi expressed his respect for Indonesia’s improving education system and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting student exchanges between the two countries.
“We have great respect and admiration for the advancements in Indonesia’s education system. We are fully committed to supporting student exchanges between Japan and Indonesia,” he stated.
H.E. Masaki Yasushi also mentioned that the scholarship programs offered by the Japanese government have served as an effective bridge for strengthening cooperation between the two nations.
Vice-Rector Prof. Miftahussurur highlighted the success of ongoing collaborations in the fields of medicine and health, particularly in tropical disease research. He expressed hopes for further collaboration and also pointed out opportunities in technology and robotics, noting that UNAIR’s Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) could play a pivotal role.
“We hope this collaboration expands into the fields of technology and robotics. Our new faculty, FTMM, provides an ideal platform for this,” Prof. Miftahussurur added.
Cultural exchange opportunities
H.E. Masaki Yasushi also discussed potential research and cultural exchange initiatives with UNAIR, expressing interest in promoting the Japanese language at the university. He emphasized the value of cultural exchange programs and mentioned that efforts would be made to facilitate access for students interested in learning more about Japanese culture.
“There are numerous ways to engage with and learn about our culture, and this could be an excellent platform for cultural exchange. We will review our student exchange programs to ensure these opportunities are accessible,” he explained.
Prof. Miftahussurur pointed out that, as of now, UNAIR does not have a dedicated Japanese cultural studies center outside of its language program. He hopes that the collaboration with the Japanese Embassy could lead to the creation of such a center, similar to the existing Taiwan Center and American Corner at UNAIR, providing better access to information on Japan and its culture. The event concluded with an exchange of gifts between UNAIR officials and the Japanese ambassador.
Author: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
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