School of Communication, USM signs MoU with its counterpart from Mercu Buana University, Jakarta

A six member delegation from the Communications Faculty, Mercu Buana University, Jakarta visited the School of Communication, USM recently as a response to a reciprocated e-mail conversation between the Dean, Assoc. Prof. Adnan Hussein and his counterpart Dra. Diah Wardhani.

Within a span of few weeks, the conversation led to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the two faculties. The event took place on August 11, 2009 at the School of Communication, USM, Penang.

Leading the delegation from the Mercu Buana University was Drs Hardiyanto Jatmiko, acting Dean of the faculty. Despite the slight difference in language and terminologies used, Ponco Budi Sulistyo from the visiting side facilitates and evens the conversation between the staff of both faculties. Ponco was a former postgraduate of the School of Communication, USM.

Among the issues discussed in the meeting was to have several collaboration of sorts between the two faculties. This cooperation would include a group effort to organize academic and cultural events slated for next year. The apex of the meeting was to have an immediate joint seminar before the end of this year.

As the Mercu Buana University was celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the delegates wanted to be host to the upcoming seminar. The meeting also deliberated on the topic of the seminar and as such it would be based on a theme of entrepreneurship, communications and culture focusing on the environment.

After much deliberation, the meeting decided that the final theme and topic including details on the format of the seminar would be discussed and finalized between the Deans of both faculties utilizing the electronic mail.

The meeting ended with the assurance by both faculties that this was just the start of greater things to come and that both looked forward to the success of the forthcoming seminar to be held in Jakarta in October this year.

A www.usm.my/comn news-article by Izaham Musa, School of Communication, USM