On 17 November 2023, H.E. Dominic Jermey CVO, OBE (British Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste) paid an ambassadorial visit to UGM, along with Juliana Ritcher (Deputy Head of Second Cities), Melisa Kusuma (Regional Outreach Manager for Central Java & Yogyakarta), Faye Belnis (Spokesperson), and Bianka Syarief (Media & Communication Team. H.E. Dominic Jermey and representatives from the British Embassy were cordially welcomed by Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, S.S., M.Hum., DEA., (Vice Rector for Education and Teaching), Ir. Wiratni, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., IPM. (Deputy Director of Partnerships & Global Relations), as well as representatives from Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Economics and Business, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School, Vocational School, Directorate of Education and Learning.
This visit aimed to introduce the newly appointed 21st ambassador of the UK to Indonesia and touched on the existing and potential collaborations between universities/institutions in the UK and UGM. “We have seen that the UK is strong in its impact on SDGs. A lot of programs have evidently been set up by the UK government that work for the cause of SDGs as well as disability. Building an inclusive space for scholars with disabilities is what we are also aiming to do,” said Prof. Wening, which was responded positively by H.E. Dominic Jermey. This initiation to work for inclusivity and securing the rights of people with disabilities coincides with the upcoming International Day of Disabled People on December 3rd.
This meeting sends a strong signal of the long and continuous partnership between UGM and the British government. Dating back to 2006, UGM has partnered with various types of UK institutions/universities, research institutes, and governmental bodies, and even participated in the formation of UK-Indonesia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Science (UKICIS) in 2020–2021. “Through the government, we can work to create a conducive atmosphere and make the right policy for the environment on university level,” said H.E. Dominic Jermey. Both sides also agreed to reinforce partnerships in education through international mobility, double degree programs, and globalization of UGM’s study programs. Furthermore, to make a reach into the UK, a collaboration between UGM and UK’s research center in Cambridge is in the works for the development of science and technology. Research between two sides will also be expanded to the fields of climate change, being one of the most important issues to be addressed in this era.
Ending his ambassadorial visit to UGM, H.E. Dominic Jermey delivered a public lecture “UK – Indonesia Bilateral Relationships” in Faculty of Cultural Sciences and engaged in a direct dialogue to deepen the understanding of the relationship between UK and UGM. Most importantly, the lecture informed the young generation, as the next future leaders, thinkers, and doers, to share a sense of the future to tackle climate change. H.E. Dominic Jermey hopes that through the voice of youth and working with the government, civil societies, leaders and educators, the global temperature increase can be maintained below 1.5°C to secure a livable planet for centuries to come.
Red: Angely/OIA
Moreover, both sides will collaborate starting from research on sustainable palm oil to academic exchanges such as joint lectures, seminars, and workshops. As the first RSPO’s university partner in Indonesia, UGM as a higher education institution will be able to develop innovative solutions to overcome the challenges faced by the palm oil industry in various aspects of this cooperation.
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