Friday (27/1), Embassy Indonesia in Warsaw facilitated the initial meeting between University Al-Azhar Indonesia (UAI) and Collegium Civitas virtually in Zoom. The meeting was opened by the moderator who was Mohamad Ghozali Moenawar, Lc., M.M. as the Head of Office of International Affairs of UAI. The discussion was to seek the possibility for collaboration that the two universities can implement from their similarities and differences.

In the first opening remark, Dr. Ir. Ade Jamal, delivered his gratitude to the Embassy of Indonesia in Warsaw for connecting UAI and Collegium Civitas. He explained about UAI’s history as the university itself was built in 2000 and it has six faculties currently. As UAI is a young university it is his belief there will be so many lessons learned that UAI can get from Collegium Civitas. UAI has collaborated with some universities in Europe such as Daugavpils University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Adding some words, Dr. Ade hoped that both universities will find fruitful programs that could be implemented soon such as International Joint Conference, Teaching Collaboration, and etc.

Equally Important, Ms. Katarzyna Maniszewska, P.hD, The Vice-Rector for International Relations of Collegium Civitas, expressed her  thoughts. She thanked The Embassy of Indonesia in Warsaw who is strongly promoting education in Poland as well as Indonesia. She, then, introduced Collegium Civitas which is also a young university as it has existed since just 25 years ago. With such a young age, her university has been ranked at 5th place best university in Warsaw. The value of her university is to produce graduates who are responsible, successful, agents of change, and the most importantly future leader.

Collegium Civitas also has courses with English-based teaching with more than 600 students having participated from 70 countries around the world. This university has several strong majors for bachelor and master degree in International Relations, Sociology, Journalism, Media, and so on. She also has a close relationship with Indonesia as she had been teaching several universities in Indonesia. Thus, it is very possible to collaborate with UAI by looking for funding from major sponsors such as Erasmus+ or the governance of Indonesia’s program.

Mrs. Yoan Nike, The First Secretary for Social and Culture Affairs of Indonesia Embassy in Warsaw, also spent her time representing H.E. Anita Lidya Luhulima, The Indonesian Ambassador for Poland herself. She hoped that the two universities could have the agreement as well as the implementation of the program really soon.

In the essence of the discussion, some participants of UAI were proposing some programs to Collegium Civitas such as Akhmad Safik, S.E., M.H., The Vice Dean of Faculty of Law, Dr. Lusi Lian Piantari, S.S., M.Hum., The Dean of Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Heri Herdiawanto, S.Pd., M.Si., The Dean of Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Science, WIldan Faisol, S.Sos., M.Si., Secretary of International Relations Department, Jumansyah, S.E., M.Sc., Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Dr. rer. nat. Yunus Effendi, S.Pd., M.Si., M.Sc., Head of Institute for Research and Community Service, Muhammad Nasucha, S.S., M.Si., Nisa Istiani, S.H., M.H., The Lecturer of Faculty of Law. The programs they proposed were related to students and staff exchange, joint teaching, joint conference, joint article, and short course by scheduling the agenda of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoA) and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) as soon as possible (TSH).