Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), hosted a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) discussing the FEB UNS International Office (IO) Work Program, Thursday 28 March 2024. The activity held at the Ki Hadjar Dewantara UNS Tower Building was attended by the Heads of Study Programs at FEB UNS, Coordinators, and Sub-coordinators from FEB UNS.

Dr. Dwi Prasetyani, Vice Dean of Academic, Research, and Student Affairs FEB UNS, in her remarks, said that in this activity, participants could collaboratively oversee the formation of international units at FEB UNS. A jointly owned unit, where there is a representative from all study programs at FEB UNS.

According to her, to this day the international activities within the faculty are supervised by a small team, assisted by Tri Mulyaningsih, Ph.D., Retno Tanding Suryandari, Ph.D., and Ratna Malisa Indriawati, ME., whereas other international activities are still conducted at the study program level.

“FEB UNS is internationally accredited, has an international class, and many academic guests from abroad institutions. There have been numerous international-level activities conducted in FEB, but the implementation was still very sectoral, there is not yet a special unit with uniform standards to manage and supervise these activities, which is why we need to establish the FEB IO Unit, afterward we can decide on the name and also the programs,” she explained.

The faculty IO is expected to be an extension of the university IO. Therefore, this FGD agenda also invited Rino Ardhian Nugroho, Ph.D., Head of UPT International Partnership and Services UNS to provide insight into the UNS vision and direction on internationalization activities, as well as, various IO UNS programs and activities.

Furthermore, Tri Mulyaningsih, Ph.D., reported on various activities that have been carried out by the FEB IO Team including Staff Mobility Collaboration between the University of Canberra, Australia, and FEB UNS; Research dissemination in the International Conference for Graduate Students in collaboration with RUDN University, Russia; Co-hosting an International Conference with Thaksin University, Thailand; and proposing a Double Degree/Credit Transfer Program for the Master of Management Program in collaboration with the National Center University, Taiwan.

Meanwhile, in his presentation, Rhino explained that IO UNS programs are an extension of the DIKTI Program, including the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA), Global Challenge, UNS Scholarship, Developing Country Partnership (KNB), Equity Program (WCU), International Grants, and International Government Partnership (IGP).

Rhino also advised a number of the Heads of Study Programs, who were attending the FGD, to report every international lecturer or student in the faculty to IO UNS, thus, they can be registered as international lecturers or international students. This aims to contribute to the data on the percentage of international lecturers and students at UNS, as to this day there has been no record.

On this occasion, the Heads of Study Programs provided suggestions and directions related to the programs that will be carried out for the formation of the FEB IO Unit.