Surakarta, January 6, 2026 — The Directorate of Reputation, Partnership, and International Affairs (DRKUI) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) welcomed a benchmarking visit from Tiga Serangkai University (TSU) on Tuesday (6/1). The visit served as a strategic forum for discussion and the exchange of best practices related to the management of international student selection, the development of global cooperation, and the strengthening of industry partnerships as part of a shared commitment to improving institutional governance and global competitiveness.
During the meeting, both institutions discussed various aspects of higher education internationalization, including international student recruitment and selection systems, the expansion of overseas partner networks, and strategies for building collaboration with industry. The discussion was conducted in a constructive manner, emphasizing the importance of adaptive and globally competitive institutional governance.
Hepy Adityarini, S.Pd., M.A., Ph.D., Head of the Sub-Directorate for Academic Partnership Development and Mobility at DRKUI UMS, emphasized that benchmarking activities play a strategic role in strengthening the quality of university internationalization.
“Benchmarking provides a valuable platform for mutual learning and the exchange of experiences in managing international student selection and mobility programs. The best practices shared through this forum are expected to support more focused and sustainable internationalization efforts,” said Hepy.
Meanwhile, Wijianto, S.T., M.Eng.Sc., Head of the Sub-Directorate for Hospitality at DRKUI UMS, explained that UMS has established an integrated and comprehensive support system for international students.
“The handling of international students at UMS is conducted holistically, starting from the application and selection process, immigration administration, to continuous assistance when students arrive and pursue their studies at UMS,” explained Wijianto.
He further added that UMS has been entrusted as a host university for two flagship scholarship programs of the Government of Indonesia for international students, namely the Developing Countries Partnership Scholarship (KNB) and the The Indonesian Aid Scholarship (TIAS).
“This trust reflects UMS’s readiness to provide both academic and non-academic services for international students from various countries,” he added.
Through this benchmarking activity, DRKUI UMS reaffirmed its commitment to continuously enhancing the quality of international governance, expanding strategic partnership networks, and strengthening the university’s global competitiveness. The visit from TSU is expected to serve as an initial step toward developing closer and more sustainable collaboration between higher education institutions in response to the dynamics of global higher education.
