Mataram, University of Mataram – University of Mataram (Unram) strengthens cooperation with Shangrao Normal University (SNU). The collaboration was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at SNU on Saturday (1/7) local time.

In the meeting, Unram Rector Prof. Ir. Bambang Hari Kusumo, M.Agr.St., Ph.D., was accompanied by Prof. Akmaluddin as Vice Rector for planning, cooperation and information systems and Prof. Dahlanuddin as Head of Unram International Affairs Office.

Prof. Bambang expressed his gratitude for the welcome from the Rector of SNU and his staff. Unram Rector said that his meeting with SNU was very important. “We want to establish a Mandarin Center in Unram. With this center, we can do many things, ranging from Chinese language training, staff and student exchanges, research cooperation and many other activities,” he said.

Related to the tourism potential which owned by West Nusa Tenggara and Shangrao, Mandarin Center is expected to compile West Nusa Tenggara and Shangrao tourism profiles to encourage tourist from Shangrao to West Nusa Tenggara and from West Nusa Tenggara to Shangrao. Thus, language learning activities which is provided by Mandarin Center will be important thing both for the students and the tour guide.

“In the future, the projection of Chinese tourist visits to Lombok will be large, so that, we as educational institutions must prepare local human resources, for example tour guides who can speak Mandarin and then our students can also interact well with them,” he added.

The Mandarin Center is planned to be officially established in September to coincide with a return visit from Shangrao Normal University to University of Mataram. Mandarin Center at University of Mataram will be the 9th of its kind that has been built at various universities in Indonesia.

The SNU Rector sees Unram as an area that has tourism potential because they have advantages in tourism and Unram is very experienced in managing mountain tourism. “Unram is glimpsed by SNU in addition to its quality, Unram is fortunate to be in an area that is a super priority tourism area,” said Prof. Bambang.

Unram Rector hoped that through the meeting, Unram and SNU could agree on an implementation plan to build mutually beneficial cooperation.