PELAKITA.ID- PELAKITA.ID — MAKASSAR — Hasanuddin University (Unhas) and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) are collaborating through the 2026 Pre-Doctoral Programme, an initiative designed to help academics and prospective doctoral students from eastern Indonesia prepare for their academic and research journeys toward PhD study, particularly in the Netherlands.
Now entering its second year, the programme has recorded a significant increase in participation. A total of 31 academics and prospective doctoral students from universities across eastern Indonesia successfully passed the document-based selection process, which assessed their language qualifications and research proposals, and advanced to the Face-to-Face (F2F) stage.
The figure is more than double the number recorded during the programme’s inaugural implementation in 2025, when 13 participants took part.
Of this year’s 31 participants, six come from universities outside Unhas, with participants representing institutions from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to Papua.
Organised by the Directorate of Learning Innovation at Hasanuddin University in collaboration with VU Amsterdam, the programme features Dr. Denyse Snelder and Dr. Sabina Di Prima. Participants receive training designed to strengthen their research skills, academic competencies, and presentation skills as preparation for doctoral study.
During the F2F sessions, participants are encouraged to reflect on and further develop their research ideas, clarify the relevance of their topics, connect their proposals with broader academic literature, and identify appropriate methodological approaches.
The programme also includes one-to-one coaching sessions, scheduled to take place online in early October, providing more specific feedback on each participant’s research proposal.
Hasanuddin University Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc., together with Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs Prof. Muhammad Ruslin, drg., M.Kes., Ph.D., Sp.B.M.Mf., Subsp.Ortognat.D., also expressed their support and encouragement to the participants.
The university leadership specifically encouraged Unhas lecturers to continue strengthening their academic capacity and make use of opportunities to pursue doctoral studies overseas.
“We are now living in an era of networks, the Internet of Things, and have even entered the era of the AI of Things. So, do not stop taking advantage of the opportunities available to develop yourselves,” Prof. JJ said.
The programme is designed not only to produce stronger and more mature research proposals but also to build participants’ academic, mental, and strategic readiness before they embark on their PhD journeys.
The Face-to-Face (F2F) component of the 2026 Pre-Doctoral Programme was held from 7–11 September 2026 at Hasanuddin University in Makassar.