As a pioneer in Open and Distance Learning Institutions in Indonesia, UT continues to enhance its quality of education. Align with that, on June 21, 2024, Universitas Terbuka (UT) and International Open University (IOU) conducted a virtual ceremony that marked a significant milestone to officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kickstart their academic collaboration and joint research initiatives. This partnership promises to bring exciting advancements in open and distance learning for both institutions.
To open the agenda, Prof. Dr. Bilal Philips, IOU Founder & Chancellor conveyed his remarks, stating that He was glad to sign this MoU, which is a crucial step in our collaboration with UT, “It has been an honor for me to have the meeting since the last discussion during my visit to Universitas Terbuka in Indonesia with other IOU delegations in October 2023” said Prof. Dr. Bilal Philips. Furthermore, Prof. Philips shared the remarkable journey of IOU, which began in 2007 as an Islamic university with just three diploma programs. Moreover, IOU received a license in 2014 to expand its curriculum, offering more than Islamic study. Today, IOU offers a wide range of programs and has students from over 200 countries. Closing his remarks, Prof. Philips expressed his gratitude to UT for this opportunity and hoped this collaboration would enhance their institutions in research, teaching, and academics.
Responding to the speech, Prof. Ojat Darojat, M.Bus., Ph.D. expressed his pleasure in formalizing the partnership with IOU. He also emphasized the importance of this collaboration in advancing open and distance learning. In addition, Prof. Darojat highlighted that both institutions are proud members of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), which promotes innovation in education. He also invited IOU to the upcoming AAOU conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, in October 2024, hoping for IOU’s active participation to enrich the discussion, and share the knowledge with other members as well. Closing his statement, Prof. Ojat conveyed his hope through this collaboration, “As we finally sign the MoU, I truly hope that we can push any boundaries in making higher education more accessible and impactful for all. Let’s move forward through our collaboration which can achieve remarkable things in advance!”
The event continued with a brief speech by IOU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Cherno Omar Barry. He reflected on how IOU successfully navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, even expanding its student base in various African countries. He emphasized the importance of collaborations in supporting their growth and mentioned IOU’s user-friendly learning platform, which has made education more accessible to their students. He also hoped that this collaboration could make a broader impact for both institutions.
In addition, Rahmat Budiman, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D., as a Vice-Rector of Universitas Terbuka, underlined the necessity for immediate action to implement the collaboration, including staff exchanges. He hinted at more exciting joint initiatives planned for 2025. The vice-Rector then closed his statement with enthusiasm and regard.
A group photo then closed this remarkable collaboration between both institutions.
