Indonesia, South Korea varsities advance AI, research collaboration

Depok, West Java (ANTARA) - The University of Indonesia (UI) and South Korea's Kyungpook National University (KNU) are committed to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and multidisciplinary research and collaboration.

"We are open to cooperation in many forms. We expect our collaboration to produce concrete implementation of cooperation," UI Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Mahmud Sudibandriyo said in a statement received on Friday.

Representatives of the two universities, during their meeting, discussed cooperation potential in joint lectures and research, faculty exchange, student mobility, and the development of an "AI plus X" program, which integrates AI with engineering, health, industry, agriculture, and humanities.

The cooperation is also poised to optimize KNU's AI Transformative Initiative (AIX), an AI integration strategy in education, research, and industry, with global talent development targeted on AI robotics, future mobility, AI safety, and semiconductors.

KNU Vice President for Research Dr Jung Soon Ki highlighted the importance of real implementation in inter-university relations for bilateral cooperation.

"Now is the right time to move forward from administrative cooperation to academic collaboration and concrete research. We expect the cooperation to provide meaningful global experience for students and lecturers from the two universities," Jung remarked.

The two universities also discussed double degree programs to enable Indonesian students to obtain two master's titles in two years and continue doctoral studies at KNU with full scholarships.

As a follow-up measure, UI and KNU agreed to focus cooperation on AI and computer science in the first step before expanding to other sectors.

The collaboration with Kyungpook National University reflected the University of Indonesia's commitment to expanding the international academic network.

Meanwhile, KNU, a national university in South Korea established in 1946 and based in Daegu, is a global research center with focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) contribution.