As the biggest university in Eastern Indonesia, Unhas certainly requires collaborative partnerships in all aspects of its development, especially in terms of education. This is inseparable from the establishment of collective relationships, especially partnerships with overseas.
Recorded in April 2019, Unhas currently has 91 active partners consisting of universities and research institutions abroad spread across four continents.
Compensating for this, Universitas Hasanuddin has an institution that focuses on managing, building, maintaining, and improving the quality and quantity of foreign cooperation to support the achievement of a reputation in the international arena, known as the International Office (IO)
IO works under the direct supervision of the Vice Chancellor for Partnership, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business of Hasanuddin University. The first chairman of IO was the former Head of Language Center and lecturer of English Literature Unhas, Dr Hj Etty Bazergan PhD in 2009 during the tenure of Rector Prof Dr Idrus Andi Paturusi SpB SpOT (K)
In its journey, the management of IO began to change in 2014. Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries lecturer, Dr. Andi Amri SPi MSi replaced Dr. Etty Bazergan after she passed away. In 2018, Dr. Amri stepped down and was replaced by Unhas English Literature Lecturer, Karmila Mokoginta SS MA M Hum who served from 2019-2022.
Along with the Inauguration and Oath Taking of Unhas Officials in July 2022, Nursing Science Lecturer, Andi Masytha Irwan Skep Ns MAN PhD officially replaced Karmila’s position as Head of the International Affairs Office until now.
Reporting from the website https://unhas.ac.id/intnews/, IO is responsible for developing a support system for the implementation of international programs, carrying out administrative services for international students, staff, lecturers, and researchers, managing international mobility of Unhas students, staff, lecturers, and researchers, managing international program databases, and developing a support system for the implementation of international programs.
“In general, IO functions as a gateway for all Unhas internationalization matters. IO is responsible when there are lecturers, students, researchers who want to come to Unhas or who want to leave Unhas, ” said Citha, her nickname.
International Culture Program, one of the annual programs that invites and selects foreign students from all over the world to come to Unhas to learn the language and culture in Indonesia.
There is the Geography Series, which involves foreign students presenting about their country and can be followed by all local and foreign students.
Last but not least, the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) Camp and IISMA Interview Camp provide an opportunity to learn more about the IISMA program and how students can prepare for the program.
Additionally, IO publishes news on its website under the name Weekly News, which covers activities conducted by IO and other international events throughout the week. Then after being summarized for one month, the news will be printed into a bulletin which will be distributed to each faculty. In addition to Weekly News, the IO website also provides information about overseas scholarships.
To help organize the program, IO also opened Student Volunteer (Stuvo) recruitment for students who want to contribute through several selection stages.
The first batch of IO Stuvo has recruited 16 people from various faculties who have good communication and personality skills, have talent, and are able to speak English or other foreign languages.
The next batch of Stuvo will be recruited every year in August. This Stuvo will also help foreign students in times of struggle.
She hoped that IO could contribute even more to Unhas, especially in coordination of international activities at the faculty level. She revealed that an international working team (Pokja) would be formed, consisting of representatives from each faculty under the coordination of IO.
“The purpose of Pokja is to immediately notify when there are international activities in the faculty or to request assistance in moderating and providing merchandise for lecturers, researchers, and students engaged in academic activities abroad. In addition for international colleagues, including guests who come to Unhas for faculty events,” She concluded.
Read the original text in Bahasa Indonesia.
Original Writer: Nabila Rifqah Awaluddin
Translated by: Nabila Rifqah Awaluddin & Nur Muthmainah
