The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia, scheduled a visit to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on Wednesday (Jan. 21) to expand cross-border education collaboration at the UGM Leadership Meeting Room, Central Office Building. The visit served as a follow-up to the 2024 memorandum of understanding. The planned expansion focuses on concrete steps to initiate joint teaching programs, in particular, the implementation of a Collaborative Doctoral Research Program across several faculties.
The University of Technology Sydney is a public research university established in 1988. According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, UTS is ranked 96th globally and has consistently placed among the top young universities in Australia.
Known for its strong industry-oriented research and excellence in technological innovation, the visit is expected to connect UTS with UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Geography, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Faculty of Cultural Sciences.
Previously, UTS has implemented a Collaborative Doctoral Research Program with the Faculty of Engineering for the 2024-2029 period and a Program Cooperation Agreement with the Faculty of Biology for 2025-2030.
Professor Wening Udasmoro, Vice Rector for Education and Teaching at UGM, welcomed the meeting in the Leadership Meeting Room.
Attended by representatives of relevant faculties responsible for cooperation, the partnership is expected to open opportunities for various programs, including student exchanges, internships, research collaborations, and research funding, particularly in STEM-related areas, to address global challenges and environmental crises.
The University of Technology Sydney delegation was represented by senior leadership, including the Vice-President for Graduate Research, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and several Associate Deans for Cooperation from various faculties.
Professor Penny Martens, Vice President for Graduate Research, expressed intense enthusiasm for the visit as a continuation of the collaboration initiated by previous university leaders.
“I believe it is important for us to develop collaboration to provide opportunities for students and young people who have a strong spirit of learning and a high willingness to explore. This spirit aligns well with the character of both universities, each with an excellent reputation,” she said.
As universities that align educational goals with sustainability values, Professor Martens added that the collaboration is expected to generate programs and innovations that help communities remain resilient amid global dynamics.
The partnership serves as tangible evidence of both universities’ commitment to advancing sustainable development.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi