Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS) held a focus group discussion (FGD) to improve the role of the international corners at UNHAS. This activity was held in Meeting Room A UNHAS on Thursday, 30 March 2023. The move initiated by UNHAS University Secretary, Prof. Ir. Sumbangan Baja, M.Phil., Ph.D. The participants were parties related to the management of the international corners at UNHAS, namely the International Office UNHAS (IO UNHAS), UNHAS Library, UNHAS Legal Bureau and representatives from UNHAS global corners: Dr. Herawaty, M.Hum, MA (Aussie Banget Corner), Meta Sekar Puji Astuti, SS, MA, Ph.D. (Japan Corner), Masdiana, SS, M.Hum (Warung Prancis), Muhammad Syahrun Sjam, SS, M. Hum (Korea-Indonesia Cultural Corner), Anwar, S.Si (German Corner) and Ria Djubari, Ph.D (Chinese Cultural Activity Center).
Prof. Sumbangan, in his speech, considered this discussion a crucial step to strengthen the coordination of parties related to the management of the international corners at UNHAS. These corners were expected to provide many benefits for the UNHAS academic community to learn about the country, culture, studies,
and scholarships the representative government offers. Regarding this matter, Andi Masyitha Irwan, Ph.D. (Head of the IO UNHAS) said that she would contact each embassy of each country that has corners in UNHAS regarding the coordination of the management of these corners.
In the discussion session hosted by Muhammad Ridwan, MA (Secretary of IO UNHAS), representatives from each corner explained the activities carried out, the problems faced, and the development plans of each corner. In their presentation, each corner said that their corner had prepared to learn support
facilities related to the country they represented. In these corners, reading books are also available according to the government of each corner.
Representatives of the corners also conveyed the activities, such as webinars related to culture, internships, and culture by the Aussie Banget Corner, Japan Corner, German Corner, and Warung Prancis. Several corners also organize free language training and language exam preparation activities, such as those conducted by the Korea-Indonesia Cultural Corner, Warung Prancis, and the Chinese Cultural Activity Center. Various other activities are also carried out independently by each corner.
On this occasion, corners representatives also expressed their hopes regarding maintaining corners facilities to the University Secretary. At the end of the discussions, Prof. Sumbangan gave a mandate to the IO UNHAS to follow up on the results of discussions with related parties. This FGD was expected to be the first step to further improving international corners at UNHAS.