Student visit strengthens Flinders’ Indonesia ties
Ten Flinders University students met the new rector of the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) during a two-week study visit to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, through the Australian Government’s AsiaBound program.
Professor Dwikorita Karnawati recently replaced Professor Pratikno, a Flinders graduate who is now Minister of State Secretary (Menteri Sekretaris Negara) in the government of President Joko Widodo.
The students, who were accompanied by Dr Priyambudi Sulistiyanto, from the School of International Studies at Flinders, took part in intensive studies of the Indonesian language at Wisma Bahasa during their stay.
They also attended a series of lectures on corruption and on media in Indonesia delivered by Dr Nur Rachmat Yuliantoro and Dr Novi Kurnia respectively. Both of them are Flinders alumni.
They also enjoyed dance lessons with students majoring in International Relations at UGM and visited the Borobudur Temple and several non-governmental organizations in Yogyakarta.
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Dr Sulistiyanto said the visit was made possible because of AsiaBound scholarships announced last year.
“The main objective of this study visit is to learn and understand the dynamics of political, social and cultural Indonesia critically and also strengthen the people of Indonesia and Australia,” he said.
Professor Karnawati, who praised the strength of the relationship between UGM and Flinders, said she hoped the study visit would be useful in preparing young people in both countries to work towards strengthening bilateral relations.
At the end of the visit, both Flinders and UGM students jointly organised an event Australia-Indonesia Forum which was opened by Professor Erwan Agus Purwanto, Dean of UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.
The forum discussed some concrete ideas and ways to increase the student mobility between two countries, especially among students in Adelaide and Yogyakarta.
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