A “Launching-cum-Kick Off Meeting” was held on December 14, 2022, to mark the establishment of an invigorated Regional Office of Geneva-based Globethics in the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). An MoU was signed earlier this year on July 18 between UGM and Globethics with the hopes to promote faculty/student mobility, collaborative research, joint conferences/workshops, publications and other international collective efforts.
The host of the event, Dean of the UGM Graduate School Professor Dr. Siti Malkhamah, stated the necessity to infuse “ethics and value education” throughout the higher education institution and curriculum. With the more than 20 study programs in the Graduate School as well as the 18 Faculties and one Vocational School in UGM, the collaboration will surely be mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, the Globethics International Board Member and Regional Director, Dr. Dicky Sofjan, who is also a Core Doctoral Faculty in the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS) presented the case on the “Ethical Deficits” in Indonesia. Dr. Sofjan said that the collaboration can bring UGM as an institution, Faculty members and students to be more engaged on the diverse range of issues pertaining to ethics, both inside and outside of the university context.
The Geneva-based Globethics team was represented by Founder and President Professor Dr. Christoph Stuckleberger, Executive Director Elect Professor Dr. Fadi Daou, Academic Director Professor Dr. Amele Ukue, Donor Relations and Strategic Partnerships Christine Housel and Senior Expert on the Globethics University Ranking (GUR) Program Dr. Aftab Dean.
Dr. Stuckleberger said that the engagement and cooperation with UGM has been nurtured since around 2010 through ICRS with the leadership of Dr. Siti Syamsiyatun, who represented the Islamic University of Sunan Kalijaga. Meanwhile Dr. Daou sees a lot of potential in expanding the collaboration with UGM, which is consistent with the Globethics’ Strategic Plans for the next five years to come (2023-2027). The Executive Director Elect also hopes to see a signed Cooperation Agreement in the near future to concretize all the plans ahead.
The Globethics team proceeded to present the many programs that are relevant to UGM and Indonesian higher educational institutions’ needs and aspirations. Among these programs, include the Globethics University Ranking (GUR), Higher Education Model of Ethics Tool (EMET) and a range of Online and Executive Courses, E-Library, Annual Conferences and others.
On the side of UGM, the event was attended by the Director of the UGM International Office, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business and representatives of the Bio-Ethics Study Program, Management of Ethics and Strengthening of Integrity (MEPI) Unit, ICRS Faculty and Staff, UKDW and Baylor University in Waco-Texas. The Deputy Deans of the Graduate School also attended the event.
The event’s Master of Ceremony was carried out by Rev. Angie Wuysang, who is the Globethics Work-Study Fellow and a Ph.D. candidate in ICRS.[]
