KIC FISIP UI Opening Event: Networking & Book Launching

Jakarta, 4 October 2024 – FISIP (Faculty of Social and Political Sciences) Universitas Indonesia, in collaboration with the Korea Foundation Jakarta, held an opening event to officially inaugurate the establishment of the Korea-Indonesia Connection (KIC) FISIP Universitas Indonesia. The event was attended by approximately 100 guests, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, several faculty members of FISIP UI, including the heads of departments, students, academics, business professionals, and the media. Held at the Candi Singosari Ballroom, Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel Jakarta. The event began with welcoming remarks from the Dean of FISIP UI (Prof. Dr. Semiarto Aji Purwanto), the Director of the Korea Foundation Jakarta (Mr. Choi Hyun Soo), and the Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Joannes Ekaprasetya Tandjung, Ph.D.).

Next, KIC FISIP UI was formally introduced by Getar Hati, Ph.D., the coordinator of KIC. Guests were also given the opportunity to provide insights on potential Indonesia-Korea collaborations that could strengthen the relationship between the two countries. KIC FISIP UI coordinator, Getar Hati, Ph.D., stated, "This event aims to introduce KIC FISIP UI to all stakeholders with the vision of strengthening Indonesia-Korea cooperation in the social, political, economic, and cultural sectora, while also opening up opportunities for KIC FISIP UI to collaborate with various universities, government and non-government organizations, as well as businesses for both academic and non-academic programs." The networking session featured Dr. Hasan Anshori, Executive Director of The Habibie Center, who provided input on the future development of KIC FISIP UI, particularly in research and studies through seminars and workshops. Furthermore, Ms. Yun Jung Park, CEO of K-Style Hub, also gave remarks during this session, highlighting opportunities for KIC FISIP UI collaboration in the K-Beauty sector, which is influential in cultural exchanges between Indonesia and Korea.

Before closing the event with a cultural performance by the FISIP UI Rada Sarisha Dance Community and Hwarang FIB UI, the book of essay collections titled "Advancing Future Generation: Population Issues in Indonesia and Korea" was launched. In this session, Leonardo (a student from the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Indonesia), who was awarded as the best presenter at the World Population Day Conference KIC FISIP UI, delivered a presentation on "A Latent Psychological Variable of Sex Recession in Korea and Indonesia." The book launch was symbolically marked by the Dean of FISIP UI and the Director of the Korea Foundation Jakarta, who presented the book to the best presenters of the conference.

KIC FISIP UI represents a collaborative effort between FISIP UI and the Korea Foundation Jakarta, aimed at creating an innovative and inclusive platform for fostering academic, cultural, and diplomatic exchanges between Indonesia and South Korea. KIC FISIP UI has been actively contributing to these objectives since May of this year. Its first program was a public seminar titled “Shaping the Future: Indonesia-Korea Relations After the 2024 Election.” The seminar brought together key stakeholders from government, academia, and the student body. With Prof. Choi Kyung Hee serving as the keynote speaker, the seminar provided a valuable forum for participants and speakers to exchange perspectives on the future trajectory of Indonesia-Korea relations.

In July 2024, KIC FISIP UI held an academic student essay conference addressing current global issues, specifically population issues. Coinciding with World Population Day (July 11th), the second KIC FISIP UI program provided a platform for international young researchers to share their views on population issues in Indonesia and Korea. A variety of essays were contributed by undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students from 17 universities in Indonesia and abroad, including Dong-A University (South Korea), The Australian National University, Kenan-Flagler Business School (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA), and Universiti Utara Malaysia. These essays were reviewed and compiled into a book of essays that was just launched by KIC FISIP UI at the opening event. This book of essays is expected to disseminate innovative ideas from the younger generation to strengthen Indonesia-Korea relations.