Yogyakarta State University (YSU) boosts its cooperation with the University of Auckland (UoA), New Zealand. An MoU has been signed by the Rector of Yogyakarta State University, Prof. Dr. Rochmat Wahab, M.Pd., M.A., Vice Rector for Cooperation and Partnership Affairs, Prof. Suwarsih Madya, Ph.D., and Associate Dean International of UoA, Dr. John Hope.

“This MoU proves our eagerness to strengthen cooperation with University of Auckland. One of our concerns is academic collaborations. It is hoped that the cooperation programs will be more productive and active and beneficial for lecturers, students and alumni,” Prof. Dr. Rochmat Wahab, M.Pd., M.A. said.

“This is only the third MoU with an Indonesian university. YSU has sent teams for collaboration and cultural activities such as cultural workshop and art performances. We see that this is an active agreement,” Dr. John Hope said.

Currently, the University of Auckland is bringing up western and Islamic world together to give and encourage understanding. As cited by Malaysiakini in 2011, New Zealand is the most Islamic coutry based on a study by Scheherazade S Rehman and Hossein Askari from George Washington University, published in the Global Economy Journal Vol 10.

YSU has been developing various cooperation programs with universities worldwide through academic and cultural activities. Meanwhile, collaboration programs with the UoA include joint research on multicultural education, guest lecturing programs inviting UoA lecturers, an international seminar on primary education inviting UoA lecturers as speakers and cultural workshop as well as art performances by YSU delegates in the Faculty of Education of UoA.

After the MoU signing ceremony, Dr. John Hope visited the Faculty of Languages and Arts to discuss cooperation possibilities with Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Kun Astuti Setyaningsih, M.Pd. and joined a meeting in Graduate School of YSU to discuss the details of collaboration programs to conduct.