The United States Consulate for the Sumatra region, Lisa Podolny, paid an official visit to Indo Global Mandiri University (UIGM) in Palembang, Indonesia, on Wednesday (19/11).
The purpose of the consulate’s visit was to establish collaboration and promote opportunities for further education for Indonesian students, especially in Sumatra, to study in the United States.
The US Consulate delegation was warmly welcomed by the UIGM rectorate and lecturers. The main discussion during the meeting focused on potential academic cooperation and joint activities. In addition to bridging Indonesian students to continue their studies abroad, the discussion also highlighted specific fields such as Cyber Security and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The US Consulate opened opportunities for UIGM to bring in speakers and experts from American campuses, especially from the Faculty of Computer Science, to enrich the knowledge of local students.
“We hope this visit will be a concrete first step in building a strong foundation for cooperation in the education sector, particularly on global and technological issues,” said Rudi Hartono, a lecturer in the English Department at IGM University.
As an extension of the US Government, the Consulate has a mission to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and the United States. The visit to UIGM is part of their program to establish partnerships with educational institutions in the Sumatra region.
“For students, this activity provides a rare opportunity to hear information and knowledge directly from international sources, including an in-depth understanding of increasingly relevant cybersecurity issues,” he said.
In addition to discussing technical fields of study, the U.S. Consulate also presented in detail various programs that have been and will be carried out in the Sumatra region. This aims to provide a comprehensive overview to the UIGM academic community regarding the active role of the U.S. in advancing education and cultural collaboration. Through interactive dialogue, students are encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity available to develop themselves on the global stage.
“Opportunities for collaboration in academic fields, student exchanges, and crucial topics such as cybersecurity are key to preparing Indonesia’s young generation to face future challenges,” he concluded. (andhiko ta)
