The Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS) at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) continues its march onto the global stage. Initiated by the Coordinator of the Indonesian Literature Study Program, Suseno, S.Pd., M.A. , FBS UNNES held an offline meeting with the University of Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The discussion explored collaboration opportunities across the three pillars of higher education (tridharma), reaffirming that FBS UNNES lecturers and study programs possess outstanding capacity recognized by world-class partners.
The meeting, held at the FBS UNNES campus in Semarang, featured a representative from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Arts: Head of the Indonesian Language Program, Justin Wejak, M.A., Ph.D. The two parties constructively agreed on two strategic collaborations: joint research in BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia for Foreign Speakers) and the development of a flagship program called “Semarang Corner” at the University of Melbourne campus.
This collaboration stems from Melbourne University’s recognition of the academic quality and scholarly network of FBS UNNES’s Indonesian Literature Study Program, which is considered highly competent in linguistics, literature, and BIPA instruction. Suseno, S.Pd., M.A. , the initiator, stated that this step serves as a gateway for FBS UNNES to become increasingly global.
“This initiative proves that the human resources of the Indonesian Literature Study Program are not only excellent at the national level but are also considered by world-class universities such as the University of Melbourne. We will follow up with integrated research agendas on BIPA and present ‘Semarang Corner’ as a space to promote Central Javanese culture and language in Australia,” Suseno said after the meeting.
Meanwhile, Justin Wejak, M.A., Ph.D. , Head of the Indonesian Language Program, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, welcomed the spirit of collaboration. According to him, the expertise of the FBS UNNES team in BIPA instruction and local literary preservation is highly relevant to the global development of the Indonesian language. “We see FBS UNNES as a strategic partner. Their commitment to research and community service is very strong. We have agreed to immediately draft a joint proposal. This offline meeting was highly productive and has strengthened inter-university relations,” he remarked.
The Dean of FBS UNNES, Prof. Dr. Tommi Yuniawan, M.Hum. , expressed high appreciation for his staff’s proactive steps. “This is tangible evidence that FBS UNNES’s human resources are respected even at the international level. The BIPA research collaboration and the development of ‘Semarang Corner’ not only support campus internationalization but also align with the achievement of SDG 4 (Quality Education) through improving Indonesian language teaching capacity for the world, SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by establishing equal global collaboration, and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) in promoting Semarang’s cultural heritage abroad,” he emphasized.
The agreement will be followed up with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two institutions and a joint research schedule planned to begin in the 2026/2027 academic year. The presence of “Semarang Corner” at the University of Melbourne is targeted to become a center for study and cultural exchange for Indonesian students in Australia as well as Australians who wish to deepen their knowledge of Central Javanese language and culture.
