Vice Chairperson of the House Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP DPR RI) Mardani Ali Sera leads a campus visit to Djuanda University to promote parliamentary diplomacy in a seminar themed "BKSAP SDGs Day”, Bogor, Tuesday (18/1/2021). Photo: Agung/Man

The House Committee for Interparliamentary Cooperation (BKSAP) organized a campus visit to promote parliamentary diplomacy in a seminar themed "BKSAP SDGs Day" at Djuanda University (Unida), Bogor, West Java. Led by the Vice Chairperson of BKSAP, Mardani Ali Sera, the House committee invited members of the academic community to share ideas and information relating to interparliamentary diplomacy at the global level. 

"BKSAP (SDGs) Day is a platform for members of the House committee to engage in public discussions, especially with the academic community. We certainly hope that our big ideas can be passed on through campuses," said Sera in an interview after the seminar at the Unida Campus, Bogor, Tuesday (18/1/2021). Members of the Unida academic community welcomed the BKSAP's initiative to discuss on the topic. 

In the meeting, Sera expressed his appreciation for the enthusiasm of the campus community. "We are happy with their response. From the rector's remarks, the students' questions, and how enthusiastic they were," said the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician. Meanwhile, the Unida academic community conveyed their wish for BKSAP's assistance in facilitating collaboration with the world top 100 universities. 

In response to the request, Sera asserted that, with Unida's endeavor towards becoming a research university in 2026, such collaboration may just be a feasible step. BKSAP encourages intensive communication in this regard both through relevant House committees and educational institutions. In the campus visit program, BKSAP also invited the university students to work more closely with the parliament by joining an internship program at the Indonesian House. 

The BKSAP SDGs Day highlighted the House's strategic role as one of the key actors to facilitate, coordinate, and exercise diplomacy in the field of education. Parliamentary diplomacy can be translated into a medium for strategic partnership between campuses around the globe. Realizing this goal is among the functions of parliamentary diplomacy that the Indonesian House deems important to share with higher education institutions, including the current venue of BKSAP SDGs Day, Djuanda University. (ah/sf/agl)