UNDANA University outlines its vision for embracing tri-lateral cooperation between itself in Indonesia, universities in East Timor, and Charles Darwin University in Australia. The presentation introduces UNDANA, its focus on managing archipelagic dryland environments through teaching, research, and community services. It then details current cooperation with universities in East Timor centered around student and faculty exchanges and joint research. Cooperation with Charles Darwin University and other Australian institutions is also described, involving areas like fire management, health, and small-scale mining research. Partnerships involving multiple Indonesian and Australian universities focused on biosecurity, rural livelihoods, and irrigation are highlighted. Emerging issues around dependency on external funding and lack of direct flights are

1. Nusa Cendana University:
Embracing Tri-lateral Cooperation
with East Timor and Australia
Rector Prof Fred Benu
Jl. Adisucipto, Penfui, Kupang 85001, NTT, Indonesia
Phone/fax: +62380881586
email: rector@undana.ac.id, website: http://www.undana.ac.id

2. Presentation outline
• Introducing UNDANA
• Embracing tri-lateral cooperation trough teaching,
research, and community services
• Emerging issues and recommendations

3. About UNDANA:
Universitas Nusa Cendana
• Vision: global oriented university
• Mission:
• Establishing a high-standard and globally competitive education,
research, and community services focusing on the management
of archipelagic dryland environment
• Contributing to local, national, regional, and global efforts to
improve the livelihoods of low-income community through
research, training, and community services to support more
sustainable development practices
• Improving university governance to facilitate better academic
atmosphere for learning, research, and community services and to
expand partnership and cooperation with other institution at local,
national, and international levels

4. Brief Information
• A government funded university established on 1
September 1962 with initially only 4 faculties in two
campuses: Kupang and Ende
• Now includes:
• 11 faculties and 1 graduate program: Education
and Teacher Training, Social and Political
Science, Law, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture,
Science and Engineering, Public Health,
Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Marine and
Fisheries, and Economics and Business
• 4 institutes: Research, Community Services,
Education, and Education Standard
• Number undergraduate degree programs: 47,
masters programs: 8, and PhD program: 2
• Number of academic staff: 903, administration:
342, students: 20,348, and alumni: 48,287

5. Current Campuses
• Main Campus in Kupang
• External Campus (PDD)
in Bajawa, Flores
• External Campus (PDD)
in Wetabula, Sumba

6. Unique location

7. Core Academic Focus
• The focus of teaching, research, and community
services at Undana is archipelagic drylands
• This focus is based on the fact that Undana is located
in a globally unique chain of islands that due to
proximity to the drier part of Australia is very much
influenced by the climate of Australian dessert
• To enhance this focus, Undana has set up a research
unit called Field Laboratory on Archipelagic Drylands
• This field laboratory is developing the necessary
facilities with funding from the central and the
provincial governments
• This field laboratory is now working in partnership with
Bogor Agricultural University, Mataram University,
Udayana University, Sriwijaya University, and Jambi
University to seek funding from MCA Indonesia for
developing more environmentally friendly development
practices in Sumba Island and other parts of Indonesia

8. Cooperation with Universities in
East Timor
• UNDANA currently cooperates with:
Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e
(UNTL), Universidade Dili (Undil), Dili
Institute of Technology (DIT), and
Universidade da Paz (Unpaz)
• Cooperation encompases teaching,
research, community services, and student
activities
• As part of the cooperation, UNDANA
accepts students from partner universities to
study at UNDANA and with UNTL
collaborates on a joint research program on
educability of Timorese children

9. Cooperation with
Charles Darwin University
• UNDANA has a long history of cooperation
with Charles Darwin University
• Notable cooperation includes fire
management research, health service and
forest management mapping, research on
artisanal and small-scale mining, language
training, and field intensive
• Currently working on extending the
cooperation on graduate student co-
supervision and research on small-scale
irrigation management

10. Cooperation with Other Australian
Universities/Institutions
• Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research (ACIAR), Bruce ACT: research on
commodity value chain
• James Cook University, Townsville: joint
supervision of PhD students
• Flinders University, Adelaide: teaching
supports for undergraduate medical students
• La Trobe University, Melbourne: credit
earning program
• University of Tasmania, Hobart: teaching
supports for undergraduate medical students
• University of Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast:
support for establishing undergraduate
program on tourism

11. Partnership with Indonesian Universities/Institutions
that involves cooperation with Australian
Universities/Institution
• UNDANA, UKSW, Unmas, Unsrat and the
Pacific Institue with CDU supported by
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research
Centre (PBCRC): research and
government and community engagement
on biosecurity, biodiversity, and food
security
• UNDANA, UHO, APRI, and BaliFocus
Foundation with CDU supported by
Government Partnership for
Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade: research on impacts of
informal mining and community
engagement to improve informal mining
practices in West Timor and Southeastern
Sulawesi

12. Partnership with Indonesian Universities/Institutions that
involves cooperation with Australian
Universities/Institution (continued)
• UNDANA, UGM and UKSW with CDU on Eastern
Indonesia Field Intensive: research and
community engagement on rural livelihoods,
focus on Linamnutu Village, South Central
Timor District
• UNDANA and Australian partner universities
through CDU: BIPA Program to study Bahasa
Indonesia and Indonesian culture
• UNDANA, Provincial and District Planning
Boards, Provincial and District General Work
Services, Mitra Tani Mandiri Foundation with
CDU: Improving irrigation infrastructure for
greater food and water security in eastern
Indonesia (AIIRA)

13. Emerging Issues and
Recommendations
• Dependency on external funding; each partner institution should
secure multi-years funding to guarantee more sustainable
cooperation
• Initiatives mostly come from Australian institutions; this trilateral
meeting should include sessions for planning future cooperation
agenda
• No direct Kupang-Dili and Kupang-Darwin flight; Indonesian and
Australian government should open direct flight connecting the three
cities to bring the three neighbouring countries closer

14. Thank You
looking forward to seeing you all in Kupang next year
For further information, please contact:
Deputy Rector for Cooperation: pr4@undana.ac.id