On a warm morning in Yogyakarta, the meeting room of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM), was filled with soft conversations, exchanged smiles, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Professors from various disciplines at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands—some visiting UGM for the first time, others returning as if to a second home—gathered with a shared purpose: to celebrate and open a new chapter in an academic partnership that has lasted for more than 25 years.
Seated around a large round table specially arranged for the meeting were prominent figures from the academic world: Prof. Dan Westerbrink, a monetary economics expert; Dr. Navika Purnamasari, a cardiologist; Dr. Morich Kaido Dekarli, an expert in biomedical engineering and bioprinting; Prof. M.G. Posma, a global health economist; and Prof. Jacqueline, Rector of the University of Groningen.
They were welcomed by the leadership of FKG UGM—Prof. Suyono as Dean, the Vice Deans, Heads of Departments, senior researchers, and Groningen alumni who now form the backbone of leadership and research at FKG UGM.
The meeting felt like a reunion of an extended family of scholars who have grown together over time.
Indonesian Language at UNESCO, and Warm Greetings
“Indonesian has now become an international language at UNESCO,” said Prof. Suyono in his welcoming remarks, delivered alternately in two languages. Smiles spread across the room—some with pride, others with emotion.
There was a brief pause as he welcomed the visiting professors from the Netherlands—not out of hesitation, but from a deep awareness that this morning marked an important moment: redefining the direction of research collaboration in a new era.
From Pioneers to a New Generation
The relationship between UGM and Groningen began in the early 2000s, when several young UGM lecturers pursued doctoral studies in the Netherlands. Two decades later, those Groningen-trained academics have returned as professors, department heads, and strategic leaders at FKG UGM.
They now sit side by side with the Dutch mentors who once supervised their dissertations—a circle of collaboration that is now being passed on to the next generation.
“We see familiar faces who are still healthy—and new faces with even greater enthusiasm,” joked one Groningen delegate, referring to researcher regeneration at UMCG.
In 2026, FKG UGM Embraces a New Spirit: Socio-Entrepreneurial Dentistry
Standing before the presentation screen, Prof. Suyono outlined a major transformation: starting in 2026, FKG UGM will firmly position itself as a socio-entrepreneurial faculty.
Researchers are encouraged not only to publish journals, but also to transform findings into tangible products.
Groningen listened with keen interest.
The screen displayed a range of innovations based on Indonesia’s natural resources: bone grafts from natural materials, herbal toothpaste, and biomaterials ready for downstream commercialization.
Indonesia is rich in natural resources, and UGM aims to utilize this wealth not only for publications, but to generate real impacts on public health.
“This is a golden opportunity for collaboration,” said Prof. Jacqueline. “Groningen is ready to support this with technology and global research networks.”
25 Years of Collaboration: A Bridge That Has Matured and Is Ready to Be Widened
As the meeting drew to a close, the room felt warm—not only from Yogyakarta’s tropical air, but from genuine academic friendship.
The professors exchanged words of thanks, promised to meet again in research matchmaking sessions, and agreed that this long history is far from over. Instead, the collaboration is entering a new phase: more interdisciplinary, more concrete, and more relevant to global health. Outside, the Yogyakarta sun climbed higher, affirming the optimism of the morning—that knowledge, when woven together, always finds its best form.
(Andri Wicaksono, Photo: Fajar Bud Harsakti)
