UNAIR NEWS – Thursday, February 20, 2020, Universitas Airlangga received a special visit from Australian Ambassador H.E. Gerry Quinlan AO at Aussie Banget Corner, UNAIR Campus B Library. The event attended by the Australian consulate general was filled with a guest lecture by the ambassador to 60 UNAIR International Relations students and lecturers.
H. E. Gerry Quinlan and staff visited UNAIR in order to strengthen ties and have in-depth discussions on academics and research. In the Aussie Banget Corner, a reading room resulted from cooperation between UNAIR and Australian Embassy, the ambassador greeted students and had discussion about opportunities for academic cooperation between Indonesia and Australia in the future.
The ambassador also directly said that Australia is ready for cooperation and collaboration, both by students and UNAIR faculty members.
“One of Indonesia’s best future assets is its young children. And I believe that the partnership that Australia has built with UNAIR is able to make us strong in facing many global challenges through higher education and academics, especially on issues of economic integration, “said the ambassador.
The statement was in line with the collaboration established between UNAIR and the Western Australia Government through its membership in West Australia-East Java University Consortium (WAEJUC). Furthermore, in recent years, UNAIR has also been active in conducting research and academic projects with the Australian Innovation Center (AIC). It affects opportunities for greater exchange and research collaboration not only for UNAIR, but also for other Indonesian universities.
“Hopefully, our collaboration will not only be limited to Western Australia, but also with East, South Australia, or Australia entirely. He is very supportive if the collaboration continues into research and community service, “said Prof. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih, M.Si as UNAIR Vice Rector I.
“We have an community service institution with international affiliations, World University Association for Community Development (WUACD),” she added.
In the end of the event, H.E. Gerry Quinlan advised students on the importance of relations between Australia and Indonesia and how Australian Embassy wants to maintain good relations.
“We see the diversity of youth and science present as a unity in Indonesia. We hope that in the future this partnership can be extended to various fields. We do everything we could to move forward with Indonesia, “he concluded after a photo session with UNAIR students.
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
