It won’t be long before Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Udayana will have their EU Information Center (EUi). The establishment of the EUi at both universities are meant to provide information on the European Union. The existence of the Center will very much support UGM and Universitas Udayana to contribute to the development of European studies in Indonesia.
Agreement signing was done at the Auditorium of Universitas Udayana’s Rectorate in Denpasar on 8 November 2012. The MoU was signed by Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Dr. Erwan Agus Purwanto, M.Si, and Rector as Acting Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Universitas Udayana, Prof.Dr. I Made Bakta, SPPD, with Ambassador/Head of European Union to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN, Mr. Julian Wilson. Witnessing the signing were Commissioner of European Union, José Manuel Barroso, and Director of Regional Cooperation, Directorate General of Americas and Europe of Foreign Affairs Ministry and Indonesian Ambassador to European Union and Belgium, Dr. Havas Oegroseno.
Dean Erwan Agus Purwanto said that currently there are 230 EUi around the world. Some of those are situated in ASEAN, namely at University of Cambodia, National University of Laos, De la Salle University, National Library of Singapore, and Chulalongkorn University. "Obviously, the EUi that will be established at UGM and Universitas Udayana would be the first one in Indonesia. The selection of the two universities is related to the role and contribution of both universities in the development of European Studies in Indonesia,” he said.
Along with the signing, lecturer of International Relations Department of UGM as well as European Studies Coordinator at Institute of International Studies of UGM, Muhadi Sugiono, delivered presentation on Indonesian Community for European Studies (KIKE). KIKE is an academic community to enrich International Relations’ curriculum through European Studies. “KIKE brings together academics from 20 Indonesian universities. It was established beginningat the Convention of European Studies in Indonesia in 2009 and 2012. Activities include scientific meetings, joint research and publication and capacity enhancement and curriculum development,” said Muhadi Sugiono.
Muhadi said that at UGM activities related to European studies was conducted by European Studies Program (Kajian Eropa @UGM), under Institute of International Studies, International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. Kajian Eropa @UGM holds academic studies and policy-oriented studies. One of their products are the annual studies on Indonesia-EU relations. "The result is presented in the forum of Indonesia-EU Relations Update held annually, bringing together academicians, representatives of Indonesian Government (Ambassador to EU), representative of EU (EU Ambassador to Indonesia) and related practitioners,” he said.