The forum, held from January 27th to 28th in Hong Kong, was attended by more than 30 Presidents or Vice Presidents from leading universities across Asia, including representatives from Southeast Asia, Japan, and China. Additionally, the Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN), Choltis Dhirathiti, Ph.D., also participated in the event.

The forum aims to enhance collaboration among universities in Asia to tackle global challenges and establish a collaborative platform for positioning Asian universities as global leaders in higher education through innovation in knowledge and technology.

In her speech, Prof. Reini mentioned that ITB has collaborated with various partners from Japan, China, and ASEAN countries, as delineated in the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) featuring clauses on human resource exchange. Currently, there are 13 MoUs between ITB and China, 51 with Japan, and 32 with ASEAN, along with four consortia involving universities in ASEAN and Indonesia. While these efforts have facilitated the nurturing of top talents, the Rector of ITB stressed the need for stronger collaboration, particularly through enhanced staff mobility and exchange programs.

The Rector of ITB proposed a collaboration named the 'Collaborative Brain Circulation Initiative through Human Resource Exchange and Training to Achieve World-Class University Reputation in the Spirit of In Harmonia Progressio.' The ITB motto, 'In Harmonia Progressio,' which signifies progressing harmoniously together, holds relevance not only for ITB but also for other universities in Asia, especially considering the similar threats and challenges faced post-pandemic in achieving and sustaining world-class university reputations. This principle becomes even more pertinent in an era where diversity unites us toward common goals. The Rector emphasized that in the era of globalization, competition has lost its relevance, making collaboration the key to success.

The Rector of ITB also underscored the significance of enhancing the quality of all human resources, including academic staff (lecturers) and non-academic staff (educational personnel). Prof. Reini emphasized that lecturers serve as the heart of the university, while educational personnel constitute its backbone. Thus, the capacity development of both groups is crucial.

On the event's closing day, the second day, the Rector of ITB and other university leaders from Asia had the opportunity to visit the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Center, as well as the comprehensive 3D printing research facilities at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. An intriguing aspect of these 3D printing research facilities is that, although managed by the Faculty of Engineering, they operate on a resource-sharing basis, enabling other faculties to freely utilize them for research purposes.

The visit to Hong Kong Polytechnic University holds importance for ITB as it not only presents opportunities for collaboration but also facilitates learning about the management of research facilities owned by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This knowledge can be adopted by ITB to enhance its research facilities.

Translator: Firzana Aisya

Editor : Vera Citra Utami