The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to France, H.E. Mohamad Oemar, accompanied by a team from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), paid a visit to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on Monday (Dec. 15).
The delegation was received by the Rector of UGM, Professor Ova Emilia, at the Rector’s Office in the UGM Central Office, together with the Vice-Rector for Research, Business Development, and Partnerships, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, and other members of the university leadership.
The meeting took place in an informal discussion setting, focusing on Indonesia’s OECD accession process as a strategic international forum.
The accession is considered an important milestone for Indonesia in advancing toward OECD membership, in line with the government’s submission of the Initial Memorandum, which reflects Indonesia’s seriousness in strengthening governance and its position in the global economy.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to France, H.E. Mohamad Oemar, expressed his appreciation for UGM’s openness in supporting the accession process.
He emphasized the importance of involving academic institutions, including UGM, to strengthen meaningful assessments during the OECD’s review of Indonesian government policies.
The Head of South and Southeast Asia, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate of the OECD, Alex Boehmer, highlighted the strategic role of universities in Indonesia throughout the accession process.
According to him, higher education institutions possess an in-depth understanding of policy dynamics at both national and regional levels, including within the context of decentralization.
“This is important for our team to understand the complexity of Indonesia’s policy environment,” he said.
In response, the Rector of UGM conveyed the university’s readiness to facilitate various forms of cross-disciplinary collaboration. With 18 faculties and two schools, UGM has a wide range of academic expertise that enables comprehensive contributions across social welfare and health.
Meanwhile, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko assessed that this initial exploration of cooperation would not only benefit lecturers but also students at various levels of education. He stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder synergy in research on public policy and development issues.
“I believe the involvement of students, including young researchers, lecturers, and even doctoral candidates, will be highly beneficial for all of us,” he emphasized.
The Senior Legal Advisor at the OECD’s Directorate for Legal Affairs, Natalie Limbasan, added that understanding Indonesia’s domestic context is a crucial aspect of the accession process.
She noted that research collaboration could help capture perspectives from communities across different regions while strengthening understanding of Indonesia’s diverse policy challenges.
On the same occasion, the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, raised a question regarding the role of higher education in the accession process, particularly opportunities for reforms involving universities.
Responding to this, Natalie Limbasan explained that higher education constitutes one of the final stages in the OECD review process, with a focus on education quality and graduates’ readiness to enter the workforce.
Concluding the meeting, the Rector of UGM emphasized that the momentum of OECD accession aligns with the Ministry of Higher Education’s policy promoting the concept of impactful universities.
“Therefore, this collaboration presents a valuable opportunity for higher education institutions to make tangible contributions to education reform and national development,” she said.
Author: Hanifah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi