Mataram – Universitas Mataram (UNRAM) through the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), has officially established international cooperation with the University of Kassel, Germany, in a sustainable education project involving various academic institutions from Indonesia, Argentina, Canada, and South Africa.

This collaboration aims to promote mutual empowerment among students, academics, and education administrators in the field of Education for Sustainable Development and educational transformation. The initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Online Meeting and Participation of FKIP UNRAM and University of Kassel

The online meeting, held on February 19, 2025, was attended by representatives from FKIP UNRAM, including the Dean of FKIP UNRAM, Drs. Lalu Zulkifli, M.Si., Ph.D., the Head of Internationalization at UNRAM, Ahmad Junaidi, M.A., Ph.D., and other officials. Representing the University of Kassel, the meeting was attended by Dr. Ellen Christoforatou, Head of the Project and Managing Director of the Center for Teacher Education. During the discussion, participants addressed various aspects of the collaboration, including initial project preparations, the planned agenda, and funding opportunities to support the sustainability of this cooperation.

Agenda and Activity Plan

As an initial step, the project will officially commence in week 39 of this year, from September 21–28, through a conference titled “How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Grow?”. This hybrid conference will invite participants from partner universities, including UNRAM. The forum will serve as a platform for academics and students from different countries to exchange experiences regarding educational systems and sustainability challenges in their respective nations.

Additionally, the cooperation encompasses various forms of collaboration, including student exchanges, guest lectures, international online seminars, and cross-country thesis supervision. A digital platform will be developed to facilitate information exchange and coordination among participants from various countries.

The primary focus of this project is to develop joint themes in sustainable education, such as climate change, biodiversity, social justice, and the role of indigenous communities in ecosystem preservation. These themes will form the foundation for academic collaboration over the next four years, until 2029.

Universitas Kassel
Universitas Kassel

Support and Funding

The project has received initial funding for various activities, including the opening conference, fact-finding missions, and student and academic exchange programs. Funding will cover support for three individuals per university to attend the conference in Kassel, as well as three representatives from the University of Kassel to visit Indonesia in 2025. Additionally, scholarships are available for student exchanges lasting four months in Germany and Indonesia.

To support academic mobility, funding is also allocated for guest lectures lasting 14 days at each partner university. For Indonesia, a guest lecture from the University of Kassel is scheduled for 2029, while a guest lecture from UNRAM to Germany is planned for 2027.

As part of efforts to sustain this project, both the University of Kassel and UNRAM are committed to seeking additional funding to expand participation. Dr. Ellen Christoforatou emphasized that funding opportunities could be increased through joint proposals between partner universities.

University of Mataram Commitment

FKIP UNRAM warmly welcomes this collaboration and has expressed its readiness to actively participate in the project. During the online meeting, UNRAM representatives assured that a credit transfer system has been established to ensure that students participating in the exchange program do not lose their coursework upon returning to their home university. Additionally, UNRAM is opening opportunities for lecturers who are interested in participating in this project over the next four years.

As a follow-up step, the University of Kassel has requested interested academics and education administrators from UNRAM to submit a Declaration of Interest by February 25, 2025. This document will assist in mapping areas of expertise and academic interests to determine appropriate collaboration formats in the future. The University of Kassel emphasized that academic engagement is expected to be long-term, for a minimum of four years, to ensure the sustainability of this project.

Future Prospects

As part of this project, three summer schools will be held in 2026, 2027, and 2028, allowing participants from different countries to work together on education and research projects. These summer schools will be conducted in a hybrid format to ensure broader participation.

Furthermore, a contact forum and digital working platform will be developed to facilitate coordination among participants from different universities. This forum will enable academic matchmaking based on fields of interest and expertise, as well as provide opportunities to share resources and research findings.

With this collaboration, the University of Mataram is strengthening its position within the global academic network and contributing to the development of education for sustainability. This partnership is expected to benefit students, lecturers, and education administrators by enhancing cross-cultural understanding and addressing global challenges together.

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