Agreeing to encourage academic cooperation, the University of Cambodia (UC) and the University of Jenderal Achmad Yani (UNJANI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and an Agreement for Student Exchange on March 13, 2010. This formalizes a commitment to collaborate in educational research and studies through faculty members and students, which aims to further develop each university and also helps to improve international understanding.
H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, UC President, met with representatives of UNJANI, Director Heriyono M. Psi and Mr. Nico Barito of the Indonesian National Defense, to discuss future collaborative efforts between the two universities, their faculty members, and students. The Ambassador of Indonesia, H.E. Ngurah Swajaya, also attended the meeting.
The MOU facilitates academic cooperation between UC and UNJANI on multiple levels that include: 1) encouraging faculty visits in educational activities and research and development; 2) providing support for undergraduate and graduate student exchange programs, including graduate level research and; 3) promoting international understanding by offering accredited courses on language and heritage and collaborating on teaching and learning; 4) fostering scholarly exchange and academic publications; and 5) promoting any other related academic activities.
As part of the MOU, the Agreement for Student Exchange serves as a preliminary framework for a student exchange program between the two universities, with an emphasis on developing global outlook and cultural appreciation. The hope is for students to broaden their insights and expand their skills set through an academic exploration of other cultures, languages, and higher education institutions. Concurrently, it also serves as a way for students to represent their own home country and share their heritage, culture, ideas, and experiences with the host university’s students. This exchange of ideas and knowledge promotes critical thinking skills within classrooms, and benefits students and faculty members involved in the exchange. Learning about diverse cultures, and how to appreciate and respect the differences and similarities between cultures, is a critical part of university life within a connected world, especially given the internationality of academia and knowledge sharing.
Director Heriyono and H.E. Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya expressed appreciation for the opportunity to have the universities collaborate and learn from one another, a sentiment also shared by Dr. Kao.
“Signing the MoU will serve to better both institutions, and this partnership will bring a lot of achievement and success for both universities,” stated Dr. Kao.
They also agreed that the MOU will help strengthen the international relationship and cooperation between the two nations.
