Indonesia
On the second day of the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) delegation’s visit to the Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB), the discussion focused on the development of Rumah Budaya Indonesia (RBI) and new cooperation opportunities in education, culture, and Indonesian language training. The meeting occurred on Tuesday (1/21/2025) in the 1st Floor Meeting Room of Building B of FCS UB, led by Hamamah, Ph.D., Dean of FCS UB.
In her speech, Hamamah, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of holistic cooperation between UB and GDUFS.
“We want this cooperation not to be partial but to support each other. The RBI at Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU) has become a good model for introducing Indonesian culture and language. We hope that RBI can also be established at GDUFS as a cultural showroom, Indonesian language training place, and test center,” she said.
The Dean of FCS UB also explained that RBI at TFSU changes the theme of the display every year, featuring cultural elements such as culinary, batik Lasem, kebaya Encim, literature, and the Indonesian cultural diaspora. In addition, RBI also plans to hold cultural performances and activities involving guest lecturers regularly.
“We hope this discussion can formulate concrete steps to establish RBI at GDUFS so that this cooperation will deepen,” added Hamamah.
Assoc. Prof. Xiao Lixian, whose Indonesian name is Mrs. Melati, responded positively to establishing an RBI at GDUFS. She explained that the university will fully support this initiative, considering GDUFS has great potential to support the development of the Indonesian Language in China.
“We also have a Cultural House for Thai Language, and we are very inspired by the RBI at TFSU. If an RBI is established at GDUFS, it will help us attract prospective students and expand the reach of Indonesian language training,” said Ms. Melati.
She also mentioned that GDUFS is facing high demand for Indonesian language training from companies in China, especially for translation and competency certifications such as UKBI (Test of Proficiency in Indonesian). Unfortunately, the UKBI test is not yet available in China, so the presence of a test center at GDUFS will be very helpful.
“We also need guest lecturers to meet the high demand for Indonesian language training. It is a great opportunity for GDUFS and UB to collaborate further,” she added.
The discussion was also filled with sharing the experiences of BIPA (Indonesian for Foreign Speakers) students at FIB UB, represented by Dao Yang, whose Indonesian name is Winnie from China, and Dang Nguyen Truc Linh, whose Indonesian name is Melly from Vietnam.
Winnie expressed her satisfaction in studying at UB.
“The administration at UB is very efficient, and the lecturers here are responsible. We also got hands-on experience talking to Indonesians, participating in competitions, and exploring Malang City. Studying at UB is a valuable experience,” she said.
Meanwhile, Melly praised the fun and supportive learning atmosphere at UB.
“BIPA learning at UB is designed according to students’ abilities. We are also invited to learn about Indonesian culture, such as making masks and watching art performances. In addition, I had the opportunity to participate in competitions and exchange experiences with students from various countries,” Melly explained.
The discussion resulted in some important points to expand cooperation between FCS UB and GDUFS, including (1) the plan to establish an Indonesian Culture House (RBI) at GDUFS as a center for learning Indonesian culture and language, (2) the development of an Indonesian language test center, (3) exchange of lecturers to conduct language training and cultural festivals in China, and (4) cultural collaboration through international festivals that are regularly held at GDUFS.
The second day of discussion emphasized the commitment of both universities to expand collaboration in education and culture. Hamamah, Ph.D., closed the meeting with optimism.
“We hope this cooperation will benefit UB and GDUFS and the wider community, both in Indonesia and China,” she said.
This visit is a strategic step to strengthen academic and cultural relations between the two universities. [dts/PR FCS]