A total of 175 members of the UGM Alumni Family (Kagama) in the Netherlands met the Rector of UGM at the Indonesian School of The Hague (SIDH) in Wassenaar, the Netherlands, on Sunday (October 29).
Supported by the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague, the event was attended by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mayerfas. He noted that Kagama members are very active in conducting activities in the Netherlands.
“Hopefully, there will continue to be collaboration and synergy between UGM to successfully realize the cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands, entrusted by the president through the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague,” said Mayerfas.
During the event, the General Chair of Kagama, Ganjar Pranowo, also briefly greeted the attendees via video call.
Pranowo advised strengthening the camaraderie and closeness among alumni, wherever they are so that they continue to benefit the alma mater and Indonesia.
Professor Ova Emilia, MD, the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, expressed appreciation for the warm reception from UGM alumni in the Netherlands and the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague. She noted that this visit felt more familial.
“The Netherlands feels familiar because UGM has established many collaborations in academia, research, and culture. In the future, strategic cooperation with the Netherlands will continue to be enhanced in line with UGM’s internationalization vision,” Professor Emilia stated.
During this gathering, the rector mentioned her work visit with a delegation from several faculties at UGM to explore collaborations with various universities in the Netherlands, such as Leiden University, Wageningen University and Research (WUR), and the University of Groningen (RUG).
“There was a memorandum of understanding signed and the launching of the UGM Office at the University of Groningen,” she explained.
The event also included a dialogue between the rector and alumni, guided by Professor Puji Astuti, the Director of Partnerships and Global Relations.
Several Kagama Netherlands members working and representing the diaspora were introduced, including Dr. Annisa Triyanti, an assistant professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, and Ariyanti Radyowijati, MD, a board member of Kagama Netherlands.
The UGM alumni gathering is part of Kagama Netherlands’ routine activities held 2-3 times a year.
According to Luthfi Nurhidayat, the Vice-Chair of Kagama Netherlands, this alumni gathering will foster a continued bond among alumni in the Netherlands and strengthen the alumni’s contributions to UGM and Indonesia.
“The presence of the rector and the delegation serves as a way to reconnect and provide updates on UGM’s progress to the alumni in the Netherlands,” he elaborated.
Author: Akmal Irfan Majid (Contributor)