From 23-24 September 2024, the Director of International Affairs, Partnership, and Alumni Reinard Primulando, Ph.D. was in Leicester, UK, to participate in the bi-annual INU Council Meeting hosted by De Montfort University (DMU). Conducted twice a year with the attendance of all International Network of Universities (INU) member universities, the INU Council Meeting is where big decisions are made—ranging from discussions of yearly programs, activities, to the possibility for expanding the membership. This particular time, the council is in the process of preparing to register INU’s legal standing in Spain. Other important matters being addressed were the continuation of programs such as UNPAR’s International Student Conference, Hiroshima University’s International Student Seminar, the INU Seed Money Fund, and the Researcher Mobility Program.
The highlight from this year’s conference was the session delivered at the DMU United Nations Impact Hub. DMU Associate Professor of Sustainable Development Dr. Mark Charlton inspired council members when he talked about DMU’s leadership role in supporting the achievement of SDG 16: to promote peace, justice and strong institutions. One of the initiatives shared was DMU’s role in helping local Leicester football communities to fulfil their zero carbon targets. Moreover, it was reported that the university has distributed around 200 SDG modules in their classes. UNPAR hopes to learn from DMU’s achievements in implementing the SDGs into their curriculum. In 2023, UNPAR was chosen again for the second time as the coordinator of the ECoGREEN Erasmus+ program, which aligns with UNPAR’s own efforts to contribute to the global actualization of SDGs.
The INU Council Meeting has always been an opportunity for UNPAR to progress its internationalization efforts and gain insights from partner universities. As an integral part of INU, UNPAR has been organizing the annual International Student Conference (ISC) since 2013, providing UNPAR the chance to host international students from various universities across the globe. INU has also opened avenues for the UNPAR community to widen their knowledge and experience to even gaining international exposure through mobility programs, from and to UNPAR. As the years continue, we hope that our collaboration and partnership through INU will continue to strengthen and grow. Especially with the upcoming ISC 2025 that will be held on 20-25 January next year, UNPAR will work closely with INU member universities to deliver the best learning and cultural experiences for the participating local and international students.