The Ambassador of Mongolia to ASEAN, Enkhtaivan Dashnyam, visited Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2025. The Mongolian Ambassador was warmly received by UGM Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, and her team at the Rector’s Guest Room, UGM Central Office. During the hour-long meeting, UGM and the Mongolian delegation explored the potential for establishing a structured framework for educational collaboration. This discussion included plans to draft a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalize academic cooperation, student and faculty exchange programs, and the development of joint research initiatives.
Ambassador Dashnyam noted that only a few Mongolian students are currently pursuing studies in Indonesia, none of whom are enrolled in public universities.
“We have very few Mongolian students studying in Indonesia, only four or five, and all of them are attending private universities,” he explained.
In response to this situation, Ambassador Dashnyam openly invited UGM to build a more formal and robust educational partnership.
UGM Rector welcomed the proposal enthusiastically.
“Universitas Gadjah Mada has various international programs, and we are very open to establishing formal partnerships with institutions in Mongolia,” said Rector Emilia.
The rector reaffirmed UGM’s commitment to expanding its global network and facilitating opportunities for more Mongolian students to study across different disciplines at UGM.
Furthermore, Rector Emilia added that the collaboration could go beyond student exchanges.
“We also support the development of cross-cultural research programs that can strengthen the ties between our two countries,” she stated.
During discussions with the university’s leadership, the Mongolian ambassador emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation in applied research and innovation in animal husbandry.
Ambassador Dashnyam explained that Mongolia faces an urgent need to modernize its livestock product processing industry.
“We have around 70 million domestic animals, including horses, cattle, sheep, and goats. However, the production of livestock by-products remains relatively limited,” the ambassador said.
He further highlighted that the focus should not only be on increasing the added value of livestock products but also on improving animal welfare.
Responding to the ambassador’s remarks, Dean of UGM Vocational College (SV UGM), Professor Agus Maryono, expressed his strong support for the collaboration initiative.
He explained that his institution’s mission is to produce work-ready graduates capable of providing practical solutions.
“Our mandate is to train students to become field professionals who can solve real-world problems,” said Dean Maryono.
The meeting also discussed the potential for short-term certification programs, particularly in the tourism, agribusiness, and creative industry sectors.
The visit underscored Mongolia’s commitment to establishing closer collaboration, with Ambassador Dashnyam submitting two formal partnership proposals for follow-up.
“Here I present two cooperation proposals, one from the National University of Mongolia and another from the Inner Mongolian University of Science and Technology,” he said.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian