MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS EXPANDS HIGHER EDUCATION COOPERATION WITH LEADING PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITIES
Manila (DBK) The Directorate General of Christian Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs continues to expand international cooperation in the field of higher education by establishing close relationships with three well-known universities in the Philippines. The delegation team of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, led by the Special Staff of the Minister of Religious Affairs for Media and Public Communication, Wibowo Prasetyo, paid a visit to the three universities to monitor, evaluate, and strengthen educational cooperation. The agenda of the visit began with a meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Manila on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. The delegation was received by the Indonesian Ambassador in Manila, Agus Widjojo, along with the education and cultural attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Prof. Aisha Is A Beautiful Flower.
Then, the team of Ditjen Bimas Kristen, accompanied by Prof. Aisha, visited the Philippine Normal University (PNU) in Manila. During the meeting, four Ph.D.s who receive a scholarship from the Directorate General of Christian Guidance Abroad Doctoral Program at PNU are expected to complete their studies in mid-2024. The staff of the Minister of Religious Affairs for Media and Public Communication stated that their graduation is expected to be the impetus for institutional transformation at Iakn Tarutung and Iakn Manado. Head of Implementing Program Unit Directorate General of Christian Guidance, Prof. Dr. Achmad Shaheed, M.Ag., also added that Scholar Indonesia can be invited as an external examiner in an open dissertation examination. He hopes alumni Ph.D.s can be invited as supervisors or promoters for the dissertation writing of Ph.D.s at PNU. A number of other agreements involve PNU scholars as international editors and international reviewers of PTKK journals. Secretary of the Directorate General of Christian Guidance, Johni Tilaar, expressed his hope that the Faculty of Education at PTKK can become a member of ASTEN to expand regional and international networks. PNU asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to prepare an addendum and its extension by involving the education and cultural attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila. Subsequently, the Ministry of Religion team visited the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), where a similar agreement was produced. PH Students who receive doctoral scholarships abroad from the Directorate General of Christian Guidance in AIIAS are expected to complete their studies in the middle of next year. Aiias scholars can also be listed as international editors and international reviewers in PTK journals and are open to post-doctoral and visiting professor programs in the fields of education, management, economics, and business. The Ministry of Religious Affairs was asked to prepare the addendum and its extension by involving the education and cultural attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila. The team of the Directorate General of Christian Guidance also visited the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), and during the meeting, an MoU was agreed between AUP and the Directorate General of Christian Guidance. Cooperation includes the purpose of psychology studies with a major psychology counseling program, a student exchange program, a lecturer exchange, research collaboration, and a publication partnership in the PTK Journal. It is expected that AUP scholars can become international editors and reviewers of the Journal of Christian Religious Universities (PTKK). The MoU between AUP and DBK is in the process of being reviewed and will be discussed with Atdibud of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila via Zoom meeting for finalization. The team of the Directorate General of Christian Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs consists of the Secretary of the Directorate General of Christian Guidance Johni Tilaar, Chairman of the Implementing Unit Achmad Shahid, associate expert planner Rouwles Hasugian, and Sandra Lintong and Rut.
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