Universitas Brawijaya’s Rector Receives Visit from Prof. Aslam Fataar, Ph.D., on Wednesday (15/5). He is a special envoy from the Rector of Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Prof. Fataar visited the UB campus to follow up on the cooperation plan between UB and Stellenbosch University, which had been discussed in an online meeting with relevant officials and facilitated by the UPT International Academic Affairs (International Office). Additionally, Prof. Fataar had the opportunity to be a speaker at the “3 in 1 Program” organized by the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and a series of guest lectures at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and the Faculty of Cultural Studies. His presence in the rector’s office was directly received by Rector Prof. Widodo, M.Si., Ph.D.Med.Sc., Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Ir. Imam Santoso, M.P., Head of International Academic Engagement Henny Rosalinda, M.A., Ph.D., and Coordinator for Southeast Asia and Africa Cooperation Aulia Luqman Aziz, M.Pd.
During the meeting, the Rector expressed his desire to make the cooperation with Stellenbosch University concrete. Moreover, the university based in Cape Town holds a QS WUR ranking of 283 and a QS WUR by Subject ranking of 50-100. Therefore, he hopes for an exchange of knowledge in institutional governance and collaboration between academics. “We want to learn from Stellenbosch how to enhance our global reputation. Additionally, there should be collaboration in research and student supervision,” said the Rector.
Meanwhile, Prof. Fataar proposed cooperation between UB and Stellenbosch University based on the similarity of social and cultural aspects between the two countries. Moreover, during colonial times, both Indonesia and South Africa were colonized by the Dutch. Many Indonesians who were considered opponents of colonialism were exiled to South Africa, particularly in Cape Town. “I think if our cooperation is based on cultural similarities, it will be stronger and more rooted, considering we have a shared history in the past,” said the man who also serves as an advisor for organizational transformation at the Rector’s office of Stellenbosch University.
