Austrian Ambassador to Indonesia, Dr. Klaus Woelfer, attended the closing ceremony of the International Summer University-Indonesia 2010. This program is a collaboration between the Vienna University of Economics and Business with Masters in Management (MM) UGM.
According to Klaus Woelfer, there are 25 Vienna University students taking part in the program. In addition, there are about 11 students from several other Austrian universities that follow the KKN in Indonesia. "There are about 25 students of Vienna University who participated in the International Summer program and 11 that follow the KKN," Klaus explained at UGM on Friday (30/7).
Klaus added that these activities are expected to improve the cooperation between universities in Austria with UGM. Moreover, so far there are many UGM lecturers who graduated from Austrian universities. "Many UGM lecturers have continued their S2 and S3 courses in Austria," he said.
Meanwhile, ASEA-Uninet UGM Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Dwi Harno Pranowo, added that collaboration between UGM with universities in Austria, including Vienna, is quite good so far. Harno gave similar information to the Ambassador's, that now there are about 20 UGM doctors graduating from Austrian colleges. "There are many who have been taking their S2 degree, also there are about 20 doctors from Austria," Harno who earned his doctorate in Austria explained.
Harno described, in addition to the field of economics and business studies, other courses such as politics and science and technology also draw interest. Even to further intensify communication between alumni of Vienna University, a website has also been created as a means of communication. "In addition to the website, the International Summer Program can be used as a vehicle for UGM students to spread the experience of the Indonesian nation and culture to students of Austria," said Harno.
Harno added, on the other hand, UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng, Ph.D, also supported the strategic cooperation between both universities. The Rector also plans to visit the Vienna University in 2011. Improved cooperation is quite fundamental, let alone the Government of the Province of Yogyakarta Special Region and that of Tirol Province of Austria have also established sister province cooperation. "The Rector also supports this strategic partnership. The plan is that in 2011 he will visit Vienna University," he concluded.