Wittenborg Attends Collaboration and Matchmaking Event at Embassy of Indonesia

Activity Aimed at Facilitating Partnerships among Dutch and Indonesian Education Institutions

With the goal of discussing partnerships and strengthening bonds with Indonesian education institutions, Wittenborg participated in the Collaboration Dialogue and Matchmaking Event held at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague, on 23 November.  

Organised by the NL Knowledge House, this activity was part of an initiative to facilitate collaboration among educational institutions and knowledge institutes, both within the Netherlands and internationally. The project started in 2023, and Indonesia was the first country with which the network has established a collaboration. 

Members of 13 Indonesian universities were present. Additionally, their schedule included making formal visits to several Dutch knowledge institutions and participating in the Go-Abroad Fair, conducted from 24 to 25 November in Utrecht. The event was also attended by 16 higher education institutions from the Netherlands, and Wittenborg was represented by Head of Executive Affairs Myra Qiu and Vice President of Applied Research Prof. Ad Kil.  

Opened by the Education and Cultural Attache of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in the Netherlands, Agus Setiabudi, the meeting included talks by Evi Eliyanah and Willian Sanchez. Afterwards, a panel was hosted with the title “Collaboration Dialogue: Collaboration in Double Degrees Programmes and Mobility Programmes between Indonesia and the Netherlands”, featuring Lyande Eelderink, Jeroen Verplanke and Eveke de Louw.

Closing the programme, a matchmaking activity was conducted to enable participants to explore areas of common interest based on the topics discussed during the session. It resembled a speed-dating event, with four Indonesian universities assigned to Wittenborg’s table, each having 15 minutes to introduce themselves and pitch collaboration possibilities with the school. The topics discussed included possible joint research projects, short courses for students and lecturers, academic staff training programmes and opportunities for bachelor’s students who would like to pursue master’s degrees at Wittenborg.  

According to Head of Executive Affairs Myra Qiu, as the most international business school in the Netherlands, Wittenborg is committed to continuously strengthening cooperation with partners worldwide. “Attending events at embassies, especially those focused on dialogue and matchmaking, can open doors to partnerships with educational institutions, businesses and government bodies in the host countries. Activities like these can pave the way for student and faculty exchange programmes, joint research projects and other academic collaborations that benefit the higher education community.”

She added that these initiatives contribute to enhancing Wittenborg and the other participants’ visibility and reputation, demonstrating the institutions’ active role in international education and cooperation.  

“Participation in these events aligns with one’s commitment to cultural exchange and fostering a diverse academic community, because it offers an opportunity to engage with different cultural and educational perspectives. I was very glad to see that the Dutch universities that attended the event were actively involved in collaborating with Indonesian universities. They are passionate and eager to keep working for the development of international education and global collaboration,” Qiu concluded.  

WUP 18/12/2023
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press