Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) Yogyakarta received a partnership visit from Universitas Triatma Mulya (UNTRIM) Bali on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. UNTRIM representatives, Dr. I Ketut Sutapa, SE., MM. (Vice-Rector for Students Affairs and Partnerships) and Rev. Dr. I Made Petrus, M.Min. (Chairman of Triatma Surya Jaya Foundation), were welcomed by Rev. Handi Hadiwitanto, Ph.D. (Vice-Rector for Human Resource Capacity Building and Partnerships) and Dr. Phil. Lucia Dwi Krisnawati (Director of the Office of Partnerships and Public Relations) at YPTK Duta Wacana meeting room.
This meeting was conducted as a follow-up on the agreement that was signed by UKDW and UNTRIM in 2020. The two universities further explored the possibility of working together in various programs as the implementation of Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) or Freedom to Learn, a program conceived by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia.
Dr. I Ketut Sutapa, SE., MM. said that with the MBKM Program, UNTRIM and UKDW are expected to have a fruitful collaboration, such as in student exchange, joint research, and publications in both universities’ journals. Rev. Handi Hadiwitanto, Ph.D. gladly welcomed this collaboration. ” With the MBKM Program, UKDW has initiated many cooperation with industry, local government, other higher education institutions, as well non-profit organizations which can support this program,” he said.
Moreover, Rev. Handi Hadiwitanto, Ph.D. said that UKDW recently received MBKM grants for these study programs: Divinity Studies, Management, Accounting, and English Language Education. “We will encourage these departments to collaborate with UNTRIM, especially for Accounting, Management, and English Language Education Departments in the implementation of MBKM Program. Besides, UNTRIM can also collaborate with the Faculty of Information Technology (FTI) as I see that UNTRIM also has Informatics Departments. Currently, the Information System Departments under FTI and Design Product Department under the Faculty of Architecture and Design (FAD) are applying for the grants,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Phil. Lucia Dwi Krisnawati said that the Office of Partnerships and Public Relations of UKDW will facilitate meetings between UNTRIM and departments at UKDW to further discuss the details of cooperation to support MBKM Program. Both universities expect that in the future this cooperation will expand, not only in education but also in other fields such as hospitality and entrepreneurship.