The first meeting often sparks a complex mix of emotions, from eagerness and curiosity to a touch of apprehension, setting the stage for a lasting impression.
The excitement was palpable on 7th February 2025 as the UNISBA Internasional Office officially established GAP (Global Academician Parlor) and held its first meeting, laying the groundwork for a bright future for UNISBA. In the space of a first meeting, emotions swirl and intersect, forging an unspoken bond that can forever alter the trajectory of a relationship.
The Global Academician Parlor (GAP) is an activity forum for Unisba faculty created by the UNISBA International Office to support internationalization and to ensure that UNISBA (Universitas Islam Bandung) and all its academic community are ready to face the world of international education in the future. This forum and its members will be under the direct guidance and support of the International Office of UNISBA. GAP participants are active Unisba lecturers who wish to establish and develop an international environment at UNISBA. Being a member of the Global Academician Parlor also opens up the potential for knowledge and experience that can be shared with other academicians regarding internationalization and following the programs and activities of the International Office of UNISBA.
11 out of 23 GAP members attended the first meeting, and they came from various faculties, namely the faculty of Sharia, Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Law, Psychology, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Engineering, Communication Science, Economics and Business, and Medicine. Unfortunately, GAP does not yet have members from the faculty of Da’wah, but it hopes to have them in the future.
In the first meeting, GAP discussed the basic concept of this community, which consists of lecturers from various faculties who aim to advance and develop UNISBA’s internationalization through academic bridges. In addition, Mrs. Ratna, as Vice Rector 4 UNISBA, also mentioned that the international office has an academic program. These, namely international classes, require collaboration with faculties in order to achieve their goals. This community also serves as a platform for lecturers in the faculty to speak in English without fear or judgment and open new perspectives for lecturers to be more open and discuss with students.
“I hope that this community can provide a safe haven for lecturers who need a safe place to practice English and establish an international environment,” said Mr. Rama, the section head of international scholarship, internship, and mobility at UNISBA.
Along with this, Ms Alexandria, as a member of GAP, said, “Hopefully, we can practice English together, discuss more internationalization program opportunities that faculties could collaborate on in the future, and have professional English training opportunities and improvement for lecturers (such as scholarship opportunity info, writing motivation letters, scientific writings for papers, conferences, and so on).”
As GAP continues to grow and evolve, its members are committed to working together to establish an international academic community that supports both personal and institutional development. The first meeting laid the foundation for a promising future, with the aspiration to include more faculties in the future. The journey towards global education has officially begun, and UNISBA is poised to embrace the opportunities ahead.
We are happy to welcome you officially to our family!