Indonesia
Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) received an academic visit from Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan (FSSK) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on Thursday (4/10/2025) to strengthen cooperation and expand the potential for international collaboration between the two institutions.
The meeting, which took place in Meeting Room Building B FCS UB, was attended by the leadership of FCS UB, representatives of lecturers, and staff from various academic service units, as well as a guest delegation from UKM led directly by Prof. Dr. Kadarruddin Aiyob, as Dean of FSSK UKM.
In her opening remarks, the Dean of FCS UB, Hamamah, Ph.D., expressed her happiness for implementing the return visit from UKM.
“Finally, this reciprocal visit can be realized, and we are pleased to welcome you all to FCS UB. We hope that today’s visit paves the way for broader and more concrete cooperation in the future,” said Mrs. Dean.
She also said that although budget efficiency is currently being carried out in Indonesia, the UB’s rector has set the academic field as one of the top priorities, so collaborative initiatives like this still receive full support.
Responding to the remarks, Prof. Dr. Kadarruddin Aiyob revealed that this visit was a reciprocal visit and a form of commitment to maintain good relations between the two institutions.
“The name of Universitas Brawijaya is very fragrant in Malaysia. We are very impressed with UB’s reputation, and we hope this cooperation can continue in various academic activities,” he said.
In this meeting, some delegates from FSSK UKM were also present, namely Prof. Madya Dr. Mohd Suhaimi Mohamad, Prof. Madya Dr. Nor Fariza Mohd Nor, Dr. Mohammed Azlan Mis, Puan Najwa Ahmad Zawawi, and En. Mohamad Rodzi Abdul Razak.
While from FCS UB, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Sahiruddin, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Alumni, and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Aji Setyanto, Secretary of the Department of Language and Literature, Head of the Study Program of English Literature, lecturers and staff were also present.
After the speech, the event continued with the handover of souvenirs and plaques and a group photo session as a form of respect and a memento of this memorable meeting.
The next session was filled with interactive discussions about the potential for academic cooperation and student/lecturer exchanges, including collaborative research, short course programs, and joint publications. Both parties exchanged ideas and views to pave the way for mutually beneficial synergies in the future.
The event closed with great appreciation from both parties. FIB UB and UKM expressed their commitment to strengthening academic cooperation across countries.
“We are very grateful for the presence and collaborative spirit of UKM. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long-term collaboration that will bring real benefits to the academic community of both universities,” concluded Hamamah, Ph.D. [dts/PR FCS].