FISIP UPN Veteran Yogyakarta Strengthens Cooperation with Iran through the Signing of MOA, Public Lecture, and Inauguration of Iran Corner

The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) of the "Veteran" National Development University of Yogyakarta through an investigation initiated by the International Organization Laboratory strengthened academic and cultural cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran through a series of activities that included the signing  of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), public lectures, and the inauguration of the Iran Corner as part of the implementation of cooperation between the two parties.

This series of activities is an important momentum in expanding the collaboration space of FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta with partners from Iran, especially in the fields of cultural diplomacy, knowledge exchange, and strengthening relations between communities through education and culture.

The activity began with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta and partners from the Islamic Republic of Iran. This signing became the basis for the development of various forms of joint activities, both in the academic and cultural fields.

Through this collaboration, both parties are committed to opening more opportunities for academic interaction and cultural exchange that can provide international experience and insight for the academic community, especially FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta students.

After the signing of the MOA, the activity continued with a public lecture entitled "Cultural Diplomacy between Iran and Indonesia and the Future of South-South Cooperation." The topic became a discussion space about the role of culture in building relations between countries and the importance of cooperation between Global South countries in facing various global dynamics.

On this occasion, the Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran was present as a resource person and delivered material on cultural diplomacy and cultural relations between Iran and Indonesia. The presence of representatives of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran provided a direct perspective on how culture can be an instrument to strengthen relations between people and build cross-cultural understanding.

The public lecture was also followed by an introduction to Persian language session delivered by  a Persian language instructor. Students get the opportunity to get to know Persian while understanding that language is one of the important doors to learn about Iranian culture, history, and society.

The enthusiasm of the students in participating in the session shows that international cooperation can not only be realized through formal academic activities, but also through learning experiences that allow students to interact directly with the languages and cultures of partner countries.

The series of activities was then closed with the inauguration of the Iran Corner in the FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta environment. The Iran Corner is presented as a tangible form of cooperation implementation as well as a space for academics to get to know more about Iran, starting from its language, culture, history, to various aspects of its people's lives.

The existence of the Iran Corner is expected to be a space for continuous learning and interaction for students and the FISIP academic community. Not only as a center for information about Iran, the Iran Corner is also expected to be a forum for various academic and cultural activities that support the strengthening of Indonesia-Iran relations.

This series of activities affirms the commitment of FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta to continue to expand international cooperation networks and provide a global learning experience for students. Through academic and cultural collaboration, cooperation with Iran is expected to continue to grow and open up space for various joint initiatives in the future.

With the signing of the MOA, the implementation of public lectures, the introduction of Persian, and the inauguration of the Iran Corner, the cooperation between FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta and Iran does not stop at a formal agreement, but is realized through programs that can be accessed and felt directly by the academic community.

FISIP UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta and Iran jointly opened a new space for cross-cultural dialogue, knowledge exchange, and strengthening South-South cooperation through education and culture.