MARITIMEPOSTS.COM – CEBU, PHILIPPINES — Rector of Hasanuddin University (Unhas), Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc., signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU), Philippines. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Higher Education Partnerships Conference (HEPCON) 2026 in Cebu, Philippines.
On this occasion, Prof. JJ simultaneously signed two MoUs, representing Hasanuddin University and Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat) in Manado, respectively.
The MoUs were signed together with NVSU Rector Wilfredo A. Dumale, Jr., Ph.D., as a foundation for developing academic cooperation between NVSU and both Unhas and Unsrat. The agreements cover education, research collaboration, and the exchange of lecturers and experts.
Cooperation in education will provide opportunities for Unhas, Unsrat, and NVSU to develop various joint academic activities.
Relations among the three institutions can also be strengthened through exchanges of experience and knowledge involving members of their respective academic communities.
In the field of research, the cooperation is aimed at bringing together the expertise of researchers and academics from Indonesia, particularly Unhas and Unsrat, with their counterparts in the Philippines. Such collaboration may take the form of joint research programs based on the academic fields and areas of potential cooperation identified by each institution.
Meanwhile, the exchange of lecturers and experts will provide opportunities for academics to participate in teaching activities, academic discussions, and the development of scholarly expertise at partner institutions. The scheme also provides members of the academic community with opportunities to gain experience in different higher education environments.
Prof. JJ views the cooperation as part of Indonesia’s efforts to expand its academic networks across Southeast Asia. Institutional relations need to be directed toward activities that bring together the academic capacities, research expertise, and human resources of each university.
“We hope this cooperation will not stop at the signing of the MoU, but will be translated into educational programs, joint research, and academic exchanges that provide tangible benefits to the academic communities,” said Prof. JJ.
For Unhas and Unsrat, cooperation with NVSU expands their academic networks in Southeast Asia. The partnership creates additional opportunities for interaction with higher education institutions in the Philippines, which can be developed into cross-border education and research activities.
The MoU signing took place on the sidelines of HEPCON 2026, a forum bringing together representatives of Indonesian universities with universities and higher education partners from various countries. The meeting provided an opportunity for universities to identify potential areas of cooperation and build academic relationships directly.
A distinctive aspect of the signing was Prof. JJ’s role in bringing two Indonesian public universities into a single cooperation agenda with NVSU. This step broadens the potential for an academic network connecting the academic communities of Unhas and Unsrat with higher education partners in the Philippines.
Through the MoUs, Unhas and Unsrat, together with NVSU, now have a foundation for developing more concrete forms of cooperation, ranging from educational activities and collaborative research to the mobility and exchange of lecturers and experts.
