UNIBA HOLDS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC LECTURE TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION

Batam – Universitas Batam (UNIBA) continues to strengthen its culture of world-class research. Through its Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), UNIBA held an International Public Lecture titled "Empowering Researchers Through Global Collaboration, Innovation, and Research Grants" at the LPPM Auditorium, 8th Floor, on Monday (7/6).

The international public lecture featured two academics experienced in international research collaboration and funding: Rumana Yasmin Ferdausi, LL.B., LL.M., MPA, and Prof. Rina S. Shahrullah, S.H., MCL., Ph.D. The event was moderated by Ir. Herlina Suciati, S.T., M.T., IPM., APEC Eng., while the session was opened by Dr. Bdn. Arum Dwi Anjani, M.Biomed. as Master of Ceremony (MC).

In the first session, Rumana Yasmin Ferdausi, LL.B., LL.M., MPA presented on Global Collaboration, Innovation, and Research Grants. She emphasized that opportunities to secure research grants and build international collaborations are not exclusive to academics from prestigious institutions, but are open to anyone with a strong research idea, a realistic plan, and a willingness to build academic networks.

She noted that success in obtaining research grants is not determined by GPA alone, but by the quality of the idea, a track record of completing research, and the ability to offer solutions to real-world problems. She also encouraged researchers to begin building collaborations through conferences, joint publications, and international academic activities as initial steps toward larger research projects. Participants were also introduced to various grant and scholarship opportunities, as well as strategies for developing competitive and impactful research proposals.

Meanwhile, Prof. Rina S. Shahrullah, S.H., MCL., Ph.D. presented on My Journey to Secure External Funding from Domestic and International Sources (Selected Projects). In her presentation, she shared her experience securing various research grants from national and international institutions, including BRIN, The Asia Foundation, the ASEAN Secretariat, E-READI, and The Nippon Foundation.

Prof. Rina S. Shahrullah, S.H., MCL., Ph.D. emphasized that securing research funding requires a long process supported by an academic track record, foreign language proficiency, communication skills, and continuously developed international networks. She also highlighted the importance of understanding the vision and focus areas of funding institutions, staying informed on global issues such as the SDGs and ESG, and producing research capable of providing solutions to societal issues and supporting public policy.

The public lecture, attended by lecturers and students, was highly interactive. Participants raised a range of questions, from strategies for drafting competitive grant proposals and building collaborations with international researchers, to preparing to participate in international research funding programs.

Through this activity, Universitas Batam hopes to strengthen the capacity of its lecturers and students to produce quality research, expand global collaboration networks, and increase the number of research grants and international publications—as part of its ongoing efforts to become a leading, globally competitive higher education institution.