Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) welcomed a delegation from the Embassy of Belgium in Indonesia to explore opportunities for academic, research, and business collaboration across various sectors. The meeting took place on Monday, 29 May, at the Rectorate Building, UNHAS Tamalanrea Campus, Makassar.
The Belgian delegation was led by H.E. Frank Felix, Belgian Ambassador to Indonesia, accompanied by Christophe Van Overstraeten, Trade and Investment Counsellor. The delegation was received by UNHAS University Secretary Prof. Sumbangan Baja, Ph.D., alongside representatives from the International Office and other university officials.
During the meeting, Prof. Sumbangan highlighted UNHAS’ longstanding academic partnerships with Belgian institutions, including a research collaboration between the Faculty of Forestry and the Evolutionary Biology and Ecology Laboratory at Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium. The partnership, covering the 2020–2025 period, focused on research into urban pests, particularly termites and their ecological characteristics.
Head of the UNHAS International Office Dr. Andi Masyitha Irwan explained that the research collaboration had been temporarily interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic before resuming through a renewed technical agreement. The initiative involved Dr. Denis Fournier, a specialist in the evolutionary biology of social insects, particularly invasive species, and Prof. Astuti Arif, whose expertise focuses on termite ecology. The collaboration aimed to facilitate interdisciplinary research and provide opportunities for researchers and students from both institutions to exchange knowledge and develop joint scientific projects.
Ambassador Frank Felix expressed his appreciation for the existing cooperation between UNHAS and Belgian institutions. He also emphasized the importance of expanding educational opportunities for students and strengthening institutional connections that could contribute to closer relations between Indonesia and Belgium.
The discussion identified several potential areas for future cooperation, including scholarship programs, academic mobility, joint research, and international publications. Both parties expressed their interest in developing initiatives that would broaden international learning opportunities for students and faculty members while strengthening academic and research partnerships between UNHAS and Belgian institutions.
