British Ambassador’s BINUS Visit to Deepen Collaboration Plans

To strengthen the link of collaboration in education and several connected domains between the UK and Indonesia, the British Ambassador for Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and East Timor His Excellency Moazzam Malik visited BINUS UNIVERSITY’s Anggrek Campus Monday (14/12). It was Malik’s second visit after the first in October 2015.

“I have seen that already a number of Indonesian universities set up cooperation with overseas universities. However, it is not a deep cooperation. If they can establish a deep collaboration, both parties can help each other achieve high-quality colleges,” explained Moazzam Malik at the beginning of the meeting with BINUS UNIVERSITY leaders; namely George Wijaya, BINA NUSANTARA Group Managing Director; Boto Simatupang, Vice Rector for Global Employability and Entrepreneurship; Karen Priest, BINUS GLOBAL Director; Andreas Chang, Vice Rector for Students Affair and Community Development; Iman Herwidiana, Vice Rector for Academic Development; Prof. Bahtiar Saleh, Vice Rector for Research & Technology Transfer; Inggrid Suryanti, Head of Food Technology Department; and Minaldi Loeis, Dean of Faculty of Creative Media and Technologies BINUS INTERNATIONAL (BI).

During the meeting, intended as approach and deepening of cooperation, BINUS UNIVERSITY delivered a presentation of programmes and activities in cooperation with British universities, such as exclusive cooperation with NORTHUMBRIA University [BINUS-NORTHUMBRIA School of Design (BNSD)] and BINUS UNIVERSITY Food Technology and Civil Engineering’s proposed research for the Newton Fund.

Pertaining to BINUS’ collaboration with NORTHUMBRIA University, Moazzam Malik showed appreciation of the level of collaboration made thus far. “But, that is not the final purpose. There should be a common goal to achieve,” said Malik. Responding to Malik’s statement, Dean of the Faculty of Creative Media and Technology Minaldi Loeis BI said that BNSD aspires to the leading design center across Southeast Asia. Malik said that the aspiration is not impossible to achieve given its very likely potential.

The UK itself, said Malik, holds particular concern for creative industry so that efforts to creative industry development are supported by the British government, including educational collaborations. “However, for this educational collaboration, not only Indonesia learn from Northumbria, but also Northumbria should learn a lot  from Indonesia through BINUS,” said Malik.

Malik hoped that UK and Indonesia’s educational collaborations are maintained not only at surface level, but deeper and comprehensive. Therefore, this meeting will be followed by further talks on efforts to deepen and establish comprehensive cooperation.

For background information, beside a meeting intended to approach and strengthen a collaboration, Moazzam also delivered a public lecture at BINUS UNIVERSITY’s Anggrek Campus.