MARITIMEPOSTS.COM – MAKASSAR – Inter-university collaboration creates opportunities for students to gain cross-border academic experience while bringing researchers together to address scientific challenges.
Hasanuddin University (Unhas) and the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, are strengthening their partnership through the development of double degree programs, scholarships, and the exploration of joint research initiatives.
The partnership was strengthened through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Makassar on Monday, October 12, 2026. The MoU was signed by Unhas Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc., and UQ Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global Partnerships, Prof. Brett Lovegrove.
Unhas Rector Prof. Jamaluddin Jompa explained that the relationship between Unhas and UQ dates back to 2017. Academic networks between Unhas and Australian higher education institutions have established a foundation for developing cross-border research. One example of this collaboration is the Australia-Indonesia Centre (AIC) Lab at Unhas, which connects researchers from Indonesia and Australia.
“The AIC Lab provides both an opportunity and a vote of confidence for Unhas to strengthen collaboration between Indonesian and Australian researchers. Unhas serves as a hub connecting researchers from both countries and promoting the development of joint research,” Prof. Jompa explained.
Prof. Jompa also highlighted collaboration in developing double degree programs, which enable students to gain learning experience within partner universities’ academic environments. These programs create opportunities for two-way student exchanges, including opportunities for Unhas students to study at UQ and UQ students to experience the academic environment at Unhas.
UQ Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global Partnerships Prof. Brett Lovegrove emphasized the importance of educational partnerships that benefit students at both universities.
“We want to build a collaboration that benefits students at both Unhas and UQ. Through this partnership, students from both universities will have opportunities to broaden their international perspectives and strengthen ties between Indonesia and Australia,” Prof. Lovegrove said.
Beyond double degree programs, Unhas and UQ are exploring opportunities to develop doctoral education through research collaboration and joint supervision. Discussions on scholarships are also aimed at expanding access to education and supporting cross-border academic mobility.
Research collaboration also opens up opportunities to investigate critical minerals. Sulawesi’s mineral resource potential provides a valuable context for joint research, ranging from mineral characteristics and processing technologies to the sustainability of resource management.
Both universities will need to identify priority research areas, align their academic programs, and develop a research agenda that draws on their respective areas of expertise.
(*/mir)
