The MoU was signed at the start of the ASC conference held on May 31 and was attended by representatives from MFA and leaders of 18 higher education institutions.
"UNRI renewed its MoU that has been well-fostered so far. This cooperation aims to strengthen our education, research, and community service sectors," UNRI's Deputy Rector for Planning, Cooperation, and Information System, Dr Ir. Sofyan Husein Siregar, noted in a written statement in Pekanbaru, Friday.
The MoU outlines three main points: the strengthening of ASC's active role as a ministry's partner, the implementation of ASC researcher apprenticeship program at the ministry's Directorate General of ASEAN Cooperation, and the clustering of ASC advantages and specificities according to each region's characteristics and universities' interests.
Siregar affirmed that the cooperation provides vast benefits to UNRI, as the cooperation aligns with the efforts to implement the three pillars of higher education.
He also expressed hope that realization of the cooperation would result in an improvement in the quality of the university's education services.
"On this occasion, we were also briefed on the results yielded from the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting, and the 42nd ASEAN Summit, especially in the pillars of ASEAN community that encapsulate political, security, economic, social, and cultural sectors," he noted.
As cited from its official page, the MFA highly values its cooperation with the ASCs, saying, "The MFA and the ASC are equal partners in implementing information dissemination programs on ASEAN cooperation that are guided by the vision of the ASEAN Community 2025."
At the conference, the ministry also signed ASC MoU renewals with 17 other universities:
- Sebelas Maret University
- Pasundan University
- Christian University of Indonesia
- Kediri University
- Wiraraja University
- Raja Ali Haji Maritime University
- Bosowa University
- Siliwangi University
- Dayanu Ikhsanuddin University
- Prof. Dr. Hazairin University
- Narotama University
- Garut University
- Medan Area University
- Mataram University
- Lambung Mangkurat University
- Semarang State University
- Raja Haji College of Social and Political Sciences.
Related news: Indonesia needs to establish ASEAN study center
Translator: Bayu Agustari, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
