State Islamic University (UIN) of Sunan Ampel Surabaya (http://fdk.uinsby.ac.id/) visited Center for Southeast Asian Sosial Studies (CESASS), Universitas Gadjah Mada. This visit was a follow-up of cooperation between CESASS and PSSAT UGM. This cooperation included education and research, local multicultural socio-religious studies, academic publication, student exchange and lecturer exchange.
Welcomed by our CESASS Director, Prof. Dr. phil. Hermin Indah Wahyuni, this meeting attended by Dr. H. Abd. Halim. MAg (Dean of Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel), Dr. Agus Santoso, S.Ag., M.Pd. (Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Cooperation, Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel), Dr. Lukman Fahmi, A.Ah, M.Pd (Head of BKI Program, Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel), Dr. Moch Anshori, S.Agm M.FiLL (Head Department of Da’wa, Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel), Dr. Nikmah Hadiati Salisah, S.I.P., M.Si. (Lecturer, Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel), and Dra. Mierrina, M.Si. (Lecturer, Da’wa and Communication Faculty UIN Sunan Ampel).
In this meeting, discussed by CESASS and UIN Sunan Ampel, there were some topic about student exchange scheme, transfer credit system, and cross cultural-understanding between students. Prof Hermin convey how foreign student mobility could improve global competitiveness, also “Merdeka Belajar” by Ministry of Education and Culture could be a space for local-foreign students to learn from each other. Follow-up cooperation for student exchange last year, CESASS also very open for another cooperation in the future.
Dr Halim, as the dean of Da’wa and Communication Faculty also convey his will to impove the cooperation by cultural exchange with foreign students between CESASS and UIN Sunan Ampel. UIN Sunan Ampel also very welcome for foreign students who wants to lear more about Javanese culture and Islamic Value.