The School of Architecture, Planning, and Policy Development (SAPPD) at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) recently hosted a delegation from the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Outcome of the Strategic Meeting with the University of Queensland on Double Degree, Single Degree, and Exchange Programs. The delegation consisted of Dr. Manu P. Sobti, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Deputy Director of HDR, and Ms. Nadia Sarah, Senior Principal Adviser. This strategic meeting, held in the meeting room, second floor of Labtek IXA Sugijanto Soegijoko, centered on establishing robust academic linkages, specifically through Student Double Degree, Single Degree articulation, and comprehensive Student Exchange Programs. This collaborative initiative fundamentally underscores the strategic importance of this partnership for SAPPD ITB’s core internationalization goals.

The session commenced with a warm opening speech delivered by the Dean of SAPPD, Dr. Eng. Puspita Dirgahayani, S.T., M.Eng., who emphasized the mutual benefits and shared vision of academic excellence between the two institutions. Following the Dean’s remarks, the administrative and logistical aspects of the potential partnership were reviewed by Dr. Allis Nurdini, ST., MT., Vice Dean for Resources, with a focus on finalizing the necessary framework and resource allocation. The academic and regulatory perspectives that govern such agreements were subsequently addressed by the Vice Dean for Academics, Adiwan Fahlan Aritenang, ST., M.GIT., Ph.D. Given the initial focus on architectural studies, the technical curriculum deep-dive was expertly led by the dedicated program heads: Dr.-Ing. Andry Widyowijatnoko, Head of the Undergraduate Architecture Program, and Dr.Eng M. Donny Koerniawan, Head of the Graduate Architecture Program. This focused discussion allowed the UQ delegates, Dr. Manu P. Sobti and Ms. Nadia Sarah, to directly address specific questions regarding course equivalence and academic alignment within the UQ system.

Then, the session is ended with public lecture, presented by Dr. Manu P.Sobti, titled “Global Architecture & Urbanism in Asia: The View Australia,” serve as both a conceptual framework and a practical guide for prospective academic collaboration. The presentation strategically begins by establishing a high-level intellectual context, citing globalization theories and positioning Asia as a transformative center, emphasizing UQ’s commitment to addressing global challenges and designing the future built environment. This conceptual foundation then transitions into specific program details that are crucial for the ITB collaboration in the future.