In an effort to improve the quality of education and research as well as enhance the university’s reputation, UNDIP has been actively initiating and strengthening collaborations with various universities worldwide. During a working visit to Auckland, New Zealand, from May 21-24, 2024, the UNDIP delegation, led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (Prof. Mohamad Nasir, Ph.D) and the Chairman of the Academic Senate (Prof. Edy Rianto, Ph.D), met directly with Dr. Mike Hodgson, Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Engineering; Jennifer Roshan, International Manager, Faculty of Engineering/International Office; Professor Ashvin Thambyah, Head of Department, Chemical and Materials Engineering; and Professor Wei Gao, Deputy Head of Department, Chemical and Materials Engineering.
The University of Auckland is ranked first in Oceania and fifth in the world for sustainability in the QS World University Sustainability Rankings 2024. It is also ranked 12th in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2023 and in the top 20 for four individual Sustainable Development Goals.
Professor Ashvin Thambyah, the coordinator of the University of Auckland and UNDIP meeting team, warmly welcomed the arrival of the UNDIP delegation. He provided a brief overview of the Faculty of Engineering, mainly how education and research are conducted at the University of Auckland. Meanwhile, Dr. Mike Hodgson, Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Engineering, mentioned the many potential collaborations, such as double degrees, internships, and research collaborations with the research centers at the University of Auckland.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Chairman of the Academic Senate stated that UNDIP is currently focused on enhancing collaboration with the Top 100 QS WUR universities to improve the quality of education and research conducted at UNDIP. The proposed collaboration models include joint degrees and double degrees for several international undergraduate and master’s programs, as well as joint research between researchers from the University of Auckland and UNDIP. UNDIP also offered opportunities for foreign lecturers from the University of Auckland to become visiting lecturers or visiting professors at UNDIP. Additionally, research related to Sustainable Development Goals, such as material development, renewable energy, and circular economy, was proposed as a basis for research collaboration themes between researchers from the University of Auckland and UNDIP.
In a lively discussion with other members of the UNDIP delegation, including Prof. Ambariyanto, Ph.D (Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation); Dr. Agus Indarjo (Secretary of the Board of Trustees); Prof. Dr. Purwanto (Head of Planning and Development); Prof. Dr. Denny Nugroho Sugianto (Head of the WCU Task Force); and Dessy Ariyanti, PhD (WCU Task Force Team), the University of Auckland team welcomed the proposed collaboration models and discussed several potential initiatives to follow up on the meeting held at Engineering Building 401-511, Dean’s Meeting Room, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Auckland. These initiatives include research collaboration in circular economy and renewable energy, visiting professor and lecturer programs, and sending students for internships to the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Auckland.
