On Monday, 10 July 2023, Faculty of Biology UGM participated in online discussions on a collaboration plan with Singapore Management University (SMU) together with the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business. The discussion was attended by Dean of Faculty of Biology, Prof. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation and Alumni, Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc., Gumilang Arya Sadewo, S.E., M.A., Ph.D. and colleagues from Faculty of Economics and Business UGM. From Singapore Management University was attended by Lip Pin Yeo as Associate Director, School of Computing and Information Systems, Postgraduate Professional Program, SMU, and Joshua SIM as Senior Manager of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, SMU, as well as colleagues from other high schools.
Discussion began with a presentation by Lip Pin Yeo regarding the profile of School of Computing and Information System (SCIS), SMU, especially Master of IT in Business (MITB) program. Programs managed by SCIS focus on Financial Services Technology, Operations Processes and Services (TOPS) and Business, Consumer and Social Analytics. Lip Pin Yeo explained about MITB program curriculum, class structure and credits taken and how SCIC provides opportunities for its students with internships, projects, and student exchanges. Lip Pin Yeo also explained the conditions for admitting students to SMU, especially SCIS and what scholarships can be obtained for both domestic students (Singapore) and students from ASEAN countries. SCIS also opens cooperation with foreign university partners through various model schemes including Direct Admission 4+1, 3+1 Fast Track Program, Concurrent Masters Program, Sequential Masters Program, and Overseas Exchange Program.
Furthermore, presentation was made by Joshua SIM as Senior Manager of Lee Kong Chian School of Business, SMU regarding the programs offered, especially Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Finance (MF), Master of Science in Management (MiM) programs, and Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MEI). Joshua also explained about the curriculum implemented at SMU, student admissions as well as scholarship opportunities for foreign students.
In the discussion, Faculty of Biology was represented by the Dean and Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni had the opportunity to initiate collaboration with SMU. This is related to the future potential of biology field which requires biologists who have expertise in the fields of IT, Big Data and AI to support the management of Indonesia’s large biodiversity to the development of bioinformatics. Faculty of Biology also explained the possibility of collaboration for the double degree program, especially for the Jakarta campus master’s program and the fast tract program. SMU also agreed to discuss again in discussing more detailed collaboration and possible collaborations that would be carried out together. It is hoped that the initiation of this collaboration can be a good start to support the development of biology in the future.