Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) Yogyakarta attended the DAAD-DIES Partnership with Higher Education in Indonesia-Final Conference held at Silliman University, Dumaguete, Philippines, on 9-13 October 2023. UKDW representatives in this event were Dr.-Ing. Wiyatiningsih, S.T., M.T. (Rector), Dr. Rosa Delima (Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Research), Rev. Wahju S. Wibowo, Ph.D. (Vice-Rector for Human Resources Development, Promotion, and Partnerships), Ir. Henry Feriadi, Ph.D. (Head of the Office of Institutional Advancement), Rev. Handi Hadiwitanto, Ph.D. (Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Head of Masters Program in Divinity Studies), Dr. Charis Amarantini (Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnology), Dr. Fransisca Endang Lestariningsih (Head of the Institute for Academic Development and Learning Innovation), and Yetli Oslan, S.T., M.I.T. (Head of the Office of Institutional Quality Assurance).
The event marked the end of the university management training program, a collaboration between UKDW Yogyakarta and the Faculty of Economy and Social Science University of Applied Science Osnabrück Germany, which involved three UKDW partner universities, namely Halmahera University (UNIERA) Tobelo, Wira Wacana Christian University (UNKRISWINA) Sumba, and Ottow Geissler University Papua (UOGP).
Rev. Wahju S. Wibowo, Ph.D. explained that this series of programs sponsored by the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) German Academic Exchange Service and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development aims to address the problem related to the quality of higher education in regions across Indonesia which is considered unequal.
“UKDW is committed to assisting the effort to develop knowledge and quality of education in Indonesia. A series of activities have been carried out from 2020 – 2023. Through this program, we hope to produce leaders who are competent in managing higher education institutions, which in turn can improve the quality and competitiveness of each higher education institution,” he explained.
During the conference, participants received various organizational enrichment materials, as well as carried out comparative study visits to three universities in Dumaguete, namely Silliman University, St. Paul University, and Negros Oriental State University.
The event concluded by discussing the development of cooperation at each university and opportunities for cooperation with universities in Dumaguete. After discussing possible collaborations, UKDW Yogyakarta signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Silliman University, St. Paul University, Negros Oriental State University, and Centro Escolar University Malolos. UKDW’s Faculty of Theology also discussed the Memorandum of Agreement with the Divinity School, Silliman University.