Indonesia
Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) received a visit from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS), a university ranked 201-250 in the world, for two days, Monday to Tuesday (1/20-21/2025). The first day of the visit on Monday (20/1/2025), took place in the 6th Floor Meeting Room of Building A FCS UB, with the agenda of strengthening international cooperation relations between the two institutions.
Assoc. Prof. Xiao Lixian (who is familiarly called Mrs. Melati) represented this visit along with three students, Guo Xuan, Lu Zexian, and Li Xinying. They were welcomed directly by the Dean of FCS UB, Hamamah, Ph.D., and the faculty’s structural.
In her speech, Hamamah, Ph.D., expressed her appreciation for GDUFS’ visit to FCS UB, highlighting the importance of collaboration in education and culture between the two institutions.
“We are very grateful for this visit and excited about the opportunity to strengthen cooperation between UB and GDUFS. Two of our study programs, Chinese Literature and Indonesian Language and Literature Education, will be directly involved in this discussion,” Hamamah said.
The Dean of FCS UB also explained that UB has established close relationships with several universities in China, one of which is by opening the Indonesian Culture House or Rumah Budaya Indonesia (RBI) in China, which aims to introduce Indonesian culture and increase intercultural interaction.
“We hope that this discussion can further discuss the development of RBI and the implementation of Indonesian language proficiency tests as part of strengthening academic cooperation,” she added.
In the introductory session, Assoc. Prof. Xiao Lixian explained the history of GDUFS, which was established in 1965 and has long been one of the leading study centers in China. The Indonesian Department at GDUFS was established in 1970, and since then, academic relations between Indonesia and China have continued to develop.
“In 1970, we admitted 10 students to the Indonesian Department every five years. In 1990, we admitted 12 to 20 students every two years to study Indonesian. 2005 was an important milestone as the cooperation between Indonesia and China grew closer. In 2013, this cooperation further increased, and in the last three years, the relationship has developed very well,” she explained.
She also added that most of the graduates of GDUFS’ Indonesian department work in Chinese companies that invest in Indonesia or government agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Consulate General.
She also appreciated FCS UB’s warm welcome and the opportunity to discuss joint programs.
“This visit is an important step to increase collaboration. We also brought three GDUFS students so they can learn and experience Indonesian culture firsthand,” she added.
One of the GDUFS students, Lu Zexian, shared his experience living in Indonesia for six months. He said he enjoyed Indonesia’s natural beauty and had visited various popular tourist destinations, such as Mount Bromo, Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, and Mount Rinjani.
“I am pleased to be in Indonesia. This experience has given me a deep insight into Indonesian culture and society,” she said.
As part of the visit, the GDUFS delegation also plans to visit some museums in Malang, such as Brawijaya Museum and Panji Museum, to enrich the cultural experience of their students.
“We want to explore more about Malang’s history and culture. We have prepared a plan to visit some interesting places around the city,” added Assoc. Prof. Xiao Lixian.
The visit was momentum to strengthen the relationship between FCS UB and GDUFS and opened up new opportunities for developing cooperation in education and culture. With productive discussions, both institutions hope to create collaborative programs that benefit students and the wider community. FCS UB is optimistic that this cooperation will further strengthen the position of both universities internationally. [dts/PR FCS]