EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – Pattani, Southern Thailand. Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ) brought its “Impactful State Defense” concept to efforts to strengthen Indonesia-Thailand higher education cooperation through its participation in the Indonesia Education Fair and INSPIRE Forum 2026 in Pattani, Southern Thailand, on Tuesday (September 1, 2026). The forum served as a strategic platform for higher education institutions from both countries to expand collaboration in academics, research, innovation, and human resource development.
The Indonesia Education Fair and INSPIRE Forum 2026 is being held from September 1–3, 2026, at Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Pattani Campus, and the C.S. Pattani Hotel. The first day of the event focused on the INSPIRE Forum, which addressed the strengthening of higher education cooperation between Indonesia and Thailand.
The forum began with remarks by the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Songkhla, Winardi Hanafi Lucky, and was officially opened by the Governor of Pattani Province, Patimoh Sadeeyamu. The main session addressed the theme “An Overview of Higher Education Cooperation between Indonesia and Thailand”, featuring the Education Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Bangkok, Cyti Daniela Aruan, and the Vice President for Academic and International Affairs of Prince of Songkla University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thakerng Wongsirichot.
The forum highlighted the development of educational relations between Indonesia and Thailand through various forms of cooperation. Currently, 795 Indonesian students are pursuing full-time studies in Thailand, while 42 Indonesian academics are working as lecturers in Thailand. These Indonesian students come from various levels of education, ranging from undergraduate and master’s programs to doctoral studies.
In addition to full-time students, 360 Indonesian students are currently participating in exchange programs. Their fields of study in Thailand include social sciences, science and technology, health sciences, agriculture, and other disciplines. Prince of Songkla University is also among the Thai universities with the largest number of Indonesian students.
The forum materials highlighted that Indonesia-Thailand educational cooperation has been implemented through various programs, including Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA), student exchanges, faculty mobility, joint lectures, cultural activities, scholarship programs, inter-university partnerships, and the promotion of Indonesian education.
However, considerable opportunities remain for further development, particularly in joint research, co-authored scholarly publications, academic credit transfers, double-degree and joint-degree programs, professional development, vocational cooperation, and internship programs.
UPNVJ Rector Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA., Comm., emphasized that strengthening higher education cooperation should be directed toward collaborations that generate tangible benefits for society. According to Venus, higher education internationalization is not merely about building global networks, but also about bringing values, knowledge, and academic contributions to the international level.
Venus explained that the values of State Defense can be manifested through knowledge-based contributions. Higher education institutions play an important role in providing solutions through education, research, innovation, and community service.
This concept is aligned with UPNVJ’s identity as a State Defense Campus, which continues to develop a non-military approach to State Defense through various fields, including education, research, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, public health, and community empowerment.
The forum also highlighted the significant potential for strengthening academic relations between the two countries. In the session titled “Indonesia-Thailand Cooperation: From MoU to Concrete Programs,” it was noted that future cooperation could focus on increasing student and faculty mobility, collaborative research, joint publications, joint-degree programs, and the establishment of research networks.
As the host institution, Prince of Songkla University has an extensive network of partnerships with Indonesian higher education institutions. Forum materials noted that PSU currently has 98 active bilateral memoranda of understanding with Indonesian universities, including Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Airlangga, IPB University, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, and Universitas Padjadjaran.
In terms of human resource development, the two countries have complementary potential. Indonesia has a large population of higher education-age individuals, while Thailand offers educational infrastructure, research laboratories, and English-medium academic programs that support internationalization.
The first day of the INSPIRE Forum continued with a Networking and Partnership Matching session, bringing together higher education institutions from Indonesia and Thailand to explore potential academic partnerships, identify suitable counterparts, and develop collaborative programs.
For Venus, strengthening international cooperation is part of UPNVJ’s strategy to provide higher education that is responsive to global change. Through its “Impactful State Defense” approach, UPNVJ seeks to ensure that national values are translated into contributions through knowledge, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
