Makassar, August 5, 2025 – Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Alauddin Makassar received an official visit from the Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia accompanied by Trade Commissioner Julia Pangkey on Tuesday (5/8/2025). The visit was received by the Coordinator of the Cooperation Division of UIN Alauddin Makassar, Ismi Sabariah, S.A.B., M.Adm., SDA, at the campus International Office.
In the meeting, Julia Pangkey conveyed that this visit aimed to explore and strengthen cooperation in the field of education between Canada and Indonesia, particularly with UIN Alauddin Makassar. The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss the continuation of the Canada-ASEAN SEED (Southeast Asia Educational Development) program, a short-term scholarship and student exchange program launched by Global Affairs Canada in 2019.
“The Canada-ASEAN SEED program that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic is now ready to be resumed. We see great potential for increasing academic mobility between both countries,” said Julia Pangkey during the meeting.
Julia Pangkey emphasized Canada’s commitment to providing extensive educational opportunities for Indonesian students. “Canada has many high-quality higher education institutions, and I very much hope that Indonesian students can be distributed across various campuses in Canada, not just focused on one institution,” she explained.
Responding to this initiative, Ismi Sabariah welcomed the plan to continue this cooperation program. “We very much hope that the activities that were postponed due to the pandemic can soon be implemented again and provide valuable opportunities for UIN Alauddin Makassar students to develop their international perspectives.” The Coordinator of the Cooperation Division of UIN Alauddin Makassar also emphasized the importance of academic exchange programs in improving the quality of education and expanding the university’s international network.
Both parties agreed to immediately follow up on this meeting by preparing a more detailed work plan and realistic program implementation timeline.
