The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of UNY held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the theme "Developing Cooperation and Building Harmonization of ASEAN Higher Education through the Merdeka Campus Joint Curriculum and Merdeka Learning Curriculum”. The FGD which was held offline and virtual was attended by the Acting Rector, Prof. Dr. Margana, faculty leaders, department administrators, and administrators of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences International Affairs and Partnership Unit (UUIK) by presenting speakers namely Azmi Mohamed (UPSI Malaysia), M Bruri Triyono (UNY), Gatot Hari Priowirjanto (SEAMEO), and Didik Sulistyanto (previously the Indonesian Education Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand).

In his remarks, Prof. Margana said, the Ministry of Education and Culture has set 8 Main Performance Indicators to measure the achievements of both state and private universities. "Referring to this, we as state university stakeholders under the Ministry of Education and Culture must increase the cooperation of our universities with other universities or related parties," he said.

"Recently, the director general conveyed the penta helix in which there are 5 parties that we must collaborate with, namely academics / universities, government, business / industry, the general public, mass media. Because UNY is one of the teacher education universities in Indonesia, it adds one more helix, namely the school community. We guard together in order to give strength to students so that they know the real ecosystem. We must protect higher education cooperation both at home and abroad. Without cooperation, our students will not get to know the real ecosystem that is outside, at least only know the existing theories, “ Prof. Margana continued.

"We have to prepare as well as possible for our join curriculum. Join the curriculum is a curriculum program that we have planned since 2020, which in 2021 we will increase various priority programs that realize UNY as WCU is not just a slogan but there are clear and measurable actions, "he added. (witono, Tj.Lak)