The agreement was signed by UIII’s Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr. Philips J. Vermonte, and Head of the ministry’s Center for Special Policy Issues and Data Analysis at the Foreign Policy Strategy Agency (BSKLN), Gita Loka Murti.
The signing was witnessed by BSKLN Head Muhammad Takdir and UIII Rector Prof. Jamhari Makruf.
Dr. Vermonte said the partnership aligns with UIII’s vision of contributing to Indonesia’s soft diplomacy efforts.
“UIII, especially the Faculty of Social Sciences, was established to be part of Indonesia’s soft diplomacy. This cooperation lays the foundation for broader collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, particularly BSKLN,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
He emphasized that in an era of global uncertainty, collaboration and partnership are essential to addressing shared challenges.
Under the agreement, both institutions will develop joint initiatives such as guest lectures, seminars, internships, research projects, publications, and community engagement programs focused on data-driven foreign policy and diplomacy.
Gita Loka Murti said she hopes the partnership will strengthen Indonesia’s knowledge-based diplomacy and foster a more inclusive academic ecosystem.
“We expect this collaboration to help build an open, globally oriented knowledge ecosystem and reinforce Indonesia’s diplomatic role,” she said.
She added that partnerships between government agencies, research institutions, and universities will help harness the expertise of Indonesian scholars to support evidence-based foreign engagement.
The agreement also reaffirms the shared commitment of UIII and BSKLN to bridge academia and diplomacy, enhance Indonesia’s contribution to global policy discussions, and promote knowledge exchange and inclusive cooperation between the academic and government sectors.
Earlier, in June 2024, the ministry's Foreign Policy Strategy Agency had also signed a memorandum of understanding with Andalas University in West Sumatra to implement the university’s three pillars of higher education.
Through the partnership, Andalas University hopes to cultivate a new generation of diplomats from the Padang City-based public university.
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Translator: Feru L, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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