Faculty academics discuss strategic partnership with visiting Indonesian Ambassador

The University of Leeds has strengthened ties with Indonesia by welcoming Dr Desra Percaya, Indonesian Ambassador to the UK, to campus.

Ambassador Percaya led a delegation from the embassy alongside academic staff from one of his country’s most prestigious universities, Universitas Indonesia.

The University of Leeds has partnerships and research collaborations with eight Indonesian universities, involving colleagues across a wide range of disciplines. Resulting research ranges from fiscal policy, climate resilient urban governance and peatland restoration to studies into the relationships between coral reefs, climate change, local communities and fisheries policy.

This year marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the UK. With both countries electing new leaders in 2024, it is seen as an important milestone for relations – and opportunities for growth – between the two nations.

An auspicious time

This academic year almost 160 new full-time entrants have joined the University of Leeds from Indonesia – almost double the number that arrived in the last pre-COVID year, with an additional 17 Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards scheme (IISMA) students this semester.

In his welcome speech to the delegation, Professor Hai-Sui Yu, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leeds, emphasised the rich partnership between the nations, both in research and student education, and the important link represented by the delegates from Universitas Indonesia.

He said: “We are particularly honoured to welcome our special guests at such an auspicious time for relations between our two nations: last week Prime Minister Keir Starmer (a graduate of the School of Law), joined the President of Indonesia in marking the 75th anniversary of our bilateral relations.

“They agreed to strengthen and revitalise the relationship through a new, deeper strategic partnership, which will be launched next year.”

Tackling shared challenges

These remarks preceded a panel discussion, moderated by Dr Adam Tyson, Pro-Dean for International in Leeds’ Faculty of Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Southeast Asian Politics at the School of Politics and International Studies.

The Ambassador, along with Leeds University Business School’s Professor Iain Clacher and the Leeds Law School’s Professor Surya Subedi, discussed issues of foreign policy between the two countries.

Dr Tyson, who organised the event, said: “Our aim is to identify the key risks and opportunities for Indonesia and the UK in the first year of the new strategic partnership.”

Topics of discussion included education and defence, as well as the urgent need to address climate change. It was noted that rising sea levels, while especially pertinent to Indonesia, will affect the UK too.

Attention was also paid to the need for sustainable financing of climate initiatives.

The panel agreed on the need for continued collaboration, and greater urgency to address these challenges, before the floor was opened to questions from the audience.

Speaking after the event, Ambassador Percaya said: “As an alumnus of two UK universities myself, I am proud that our two countries’ education cooperation have continued to progress robustly in recent years.

“This is, among others, why our 75th anniversary commemorative theme is ‘People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace’. The Joint Statement resulting from our Leaders’ meeting last month also placed human capital development at its centre, so the momentum is high for our two education institutions to connect and collaborate more closely.”

A rousing performance

Prior to the panel, the delegation was welcomed to the Clothworker’s Centenary Music Hall with a Golden Thread Gamelan concert performance. The concert was directed by the University of York’s Ángel Andrés Cataño Flores, who leads the Gamelan Setar Petak (White Rose) ensemble.

Gamelan is a form of traditional Indonesian percussion orchestra, and the instruments used were from a set belonging to the University of Leeds’ School of Music.

The set of bronze gongs and metallophones, named The Golden Thread in reference to Leeds’ strong connections with the textile industry, was handcrafted in the court city of Surakarta in Central Java over 20 years ago.

Rounding out proceedings, Ambassador Percaya treated the audience to a rousing performance on the saxophone, to great applause.