Udayana University Strengthens Global Collaboration Through the 2025 Tsinghua Higher Education Forum in Bali
Denpasar – Udayana University, represented by the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Ir. I Nengah Sujaya, M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D., participated in the Tsinghua Higher Education Forum (HEF) 2025, held on October 18, 2025, at the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center, Bali. The forum was organized by Tsinghua University, one of the world’s leading universities from China, under the theme “The Future of Internationalization in Higher Education: Markets, Geopolitics, and Epistemic Justice.”
The event brought together academics, policymakers, and higher education practitioners from various countries to discuss the future direction of higher education internationalization amid global market dynamics, shifting geopolitics, and issues of epistemic justice. Distinguished participants included GUO Yong (Vice Chair of Tsinghua University Council), Stella Christie (Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia), Getachew Engida (former Deputy Director-General of UNESCO), and Cherie Nursalim (Co-Chair of the Tsinghua University Southeast Asia Center).
During the opening session, Prof. I Nengah Sujaya delivered a speech on behalf of the Rector of Udayana University. In his remarks, he expressed sincere appreciation to Tsinghua University and Prof. Yang Bin, Vice Chancellor of Tsinghua University Council and Chair of the Organizing Committee, for the invitation and the honor given to Udayana University to participate in this prestigious international forum.
He emphasized that this year’s theme reflects both the challenges and opportunities facing global higher education. “Internationalization has long been a path to enriching academic environments, opening avenues for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and strengthening mutual understanding across nations,” he stated.
Prof. Sujaya further highlighted that as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen cross-cultural collaboration, Udayana University recently established the Mandarin Proficiency Test Center (HSK Center) under the Language Center, in partnership with the Confucius Tourism Institute (CTI). This initiative aims to promote Mandarin language learning, expand academic and tourism exchange, and enhance students’ capacity to engage in multicultural environments.
Concluding his remarks, Prof. Sujaya shared an inspiring message: “Bali is often called the Island of Harmony. Let us draw inspiration from this spirit of harmony throughout the next two days of dialogue, so that higher education can become a force for justice, peace, and the well-being of humanity.”
The two-day forum featured plenary sessions, parallel discussions, and cross-cultural dialogues covering key strategic topics such as the values and challenges of transnational higher education, the role of states in global higher education, the global influence of Asian higher education, the diffusion of technical and engineering education internationally, the internationalization of technology-based higher education and data governance, as well as global higher education innovation and intercultural exchange.
Prominent scholars who participated as keynote speakers included Prof. Cheng Kai Ming (University of Hong Kong), Prof. William Kirby (Harvard University), and Prof. Simon Marginson (University of Oxford). In addition to plenary sessions, the forum also hosted a Journal Editor–Author Workshop and a Youth Dialogue on Global Higher Education Innovation and Cross-Cultural Exchange, engaging young researchers and students from around the world.