Mataram, Universitas Mataram – The Workshop on the Establishment of Communication and Partnership Forums (FORSITRA) for universities throughout West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has been held at the Universitas Mataram (Unram) on September 27-28, 2022 in the Senate Meeting Room, 3rd Floor, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Unram.

This activity was attended by the Vice-Rector IV, the Dean, and the Unram team or cooperation group with several representatives from universities in NTB. The representatives of universities in the Mataram region, namely Mandalika University of Education (UNDIKMA), Muhammadiyyah University of Mataram (UMMAT), Mataram University of Technology, Nadhatul Wathan University of Mataram, University of 45, Al-Azhar Islamic University, and Mataram Tourism College.

Representatives from the West Lombok region, namely the Nurul Hakim Kediri Islamic Institute. Representatives from the Central Lombok region, namely the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic (POLTEKPAR). And representatives from the East Lombok region, namely Hamzan Wadi University. Furthermore, representatives for the Sumbawa Island area, namely cordova University of West Sumbawa Regency, Samawa University, Samawa University of Technology, STKIP YAPIS Dompu, STKIP Taman Siswa Bima, STKIP Harapan Bima, and STKIP Bima.

The activity sponsored by The European Union to Higher Education in the ASEAN Region (SHARE) DAAD Program is a follow-up to the online socialization/dissemination of collaboration and international mobility of universities which was held on August 25, 2022. This activity aims to be able to further consolidate and promote international activities for universities in the NTB region.

Yusron Saadi, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D. as Vice Rector for Planning, Cooperation, and Information Systems of Unram, in his speech conveyed the reason why universities need cooperation. In addition, he hopes that all universities in the NTB region can run and develop together. “If everyone moves forward together, then success will come naturally,” he said.

The same thing was also conveyed by the Dean of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Unram, Prof. Dr. A. Wahab Jufri, M.Sc., “with this collaboration between higher education at mataram university, it can increase the index of higher education in the west Nusa Tenggara region”.

The event continued with the introduction of Project SHARE DAAD by the Coordinator of PMT SHARE DAAD Unram, Dr. rer.nat Lalu Rudiyat Telly Savalas. “This project is not only limited to the scope of ASEAN but also hopes that we can be developed globally, where this activity must be strengthened through regional cooperation which in the future can be implemented jointly by every university in the West Nusa Tenggara region,” he said.

One of the speakers presented at this event was Bunyamin, S.S., M.Hum. as the Head of the NTB State Museum. “Museums are not only a place to store ancient items, but can also be a source of knowledge that can be developed in the fields of academics, research. There are many areas of collaboration that can be explored together,” explained Bunyamin.

In addition, he also hopes that there will be a follow-up in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as the first step in collaboration which is not only carried out with Unram, but with other universities in the NTB region.

The second day of SHARE DAAD was filled with discussions and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) about the organizational structure and name of the Higher Education Communication and Partnership Forum in West Nusa Tenggara which was previously abbreviated as FORSITRA to FORKITA. This activity will be continued online on the next occasion to discuss related to the making of the MoU and the details of cooperation that will be carried out in the fields of academics, research and service. This activity was then closed by visiting the NTB State Museum.