Depok, April 20, 2026 — The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI) welcomed a delegation from the University of Queensland as part of efforts to strengthen strategic collaboration in the areas of education, research, and the internationalization of academic programs.
The activity began with discussions between the two institutions on the follow-up of ongoing collaborations, including the utilization of funding from the “UQ–UI Science Academic Leadership Exchange” proposal, which has been successfully approved with an allocation of USD 5,000 through December 2026. The funding is planned to support internationalization initiatives and strengthen sustainable collaboration between FMIPA UI and UQ.
Several plans for utilizing the funding were also discussed, including a visit by an FMIPA UI delegation to UQ in July–August 2026, as well as efforts to strengthen promotion and recruitment for the International Special Class (KKI) program. These include the idea of holding demo days at schools to broaden program awareness. The discussion also highlighted challenges in recruiting KKI students, indicating the need for a more integrated joint promotion strategy.
In addition, both parties highlighted the importance of strengthening academic relationships to support the implementation of the double degree program. It was also emphasized that increasing early interactions between faculty members from both institutions is essential to facilitate joint supervision schemes for KKI students, particularly during their undergraduate thesis or final research stage. This effort aligns with the Areas of Interest (AoI), which include joint promotion, faculty mobility, as well as the strengthening of joint research and joint publications.
On that occasion, FMIPA UI also presented its research ecosystem through a presentation delivered by the Manager of the Research Ecosystem and Impactful Science Downstreaming, Zico Alaia Akbar Junior, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D. The presentation introduced FMIPA UI’s research potential to UQ while opening up broader opportunities for collaboration in education and research.
Another key agenda was the signing of the Agreement on a Joint Degree Program / AoI by the Dean of FMIPA UI, Prof. Dr. Tito Latif Indra, as a strategic step to strengthen academic collaboration with the Faculty of Science at the University of Queensland. The document regulates the implementation of a joint degree/double degree program at the undergraduate level between the two institutions. The AoI document will subsequently be brought to Brisbane for signing by the UQ representatives, namely Mr. Brett Lovegrove (Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global Partnerships) and Prof. Melissa Brown (Executive Dean, Faculty of Science).
“The signing of this joint degree marks an important step in strengthening collaboration between FMIPA UI and the University of Queensland, while also expanding opportunities for academic mobility, research collaboration, and international experience for students,” said Prof. Dr. Tito Latif Indra, Dean of FMIPA UI.
The activity continued with a guest lecture by Avril Robertson, Associate Dean of Research and Deputy Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at UQ. In her lecture titled “Targeting Inflammation,” Prof. Avril presented research on inflammasome-dependent cytokine secretion, which plays a role in various chronic diseases.
She also explained the development of small molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which show therapeutic potential for various inflammatory diseases, including lung diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The presentation highlighted how fundamental research can progress toward downstream application and commercialization.
This visit reaffirms the commitment of FMIPA UI and the University of Queensland to strengthening international collaboration that not only focuses on education, but also on innovative research and tangible impact for society.
