USK and TU Explore Collaboration in the Areas of Petroleum and Disaster Research
On 7 February 2025, Dr. Muzailin Affan, Chairman of the Office of International Affairs of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), welcomed a delegation from the University of Tulsa (TU). The delegation consisted of Kalli Zhang, Manager of the International Admission Center for Global Engagement, along with a TU alumnus. The meeting marked the beginning of discussions on potential academic and research collaborations between the two institutions.
Notably, the University of Tulsa, known as the Golden Hurricane, was established in 1894 and is Oklahoma’s top-ranked private college. With an enrollment of 3,769 students—2,647 undergraduates and 1,122 graduate and law students—TU offers 81 bachelor’s, 41 master’s, and 17 doctoral degree programs. Given its strong expertise in petroleum oil research, TU is actively seeking international partnerships in this field.
During the meeting, Kalli Zhang expressed her appreciation for USK’s warm reception and outlined TU’s interest in developing collaborations, particularly in petroleum oil studies. Furthermore, she highlighted TU’s strong research capabilities and available funding for related projects, including scholarships. “I think we can form a cooperation, especially on petroleum oil because it is one of the strengths of TU. We also have support funds for this project, including scholarships,” Zhang stated.
In response, Dr. Muzailin welcomed the opportunity and introduced USK’s leading research programs that have gained global recognition. “We have three excellent research centers at USK that we can collaborate on the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC), the Atsiri Research Center (ARC), and the Research Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution (PRPRK),” he explained. These centers align well with TU’s interest in disaster research, given that Tulsa experiences frequent tornadoes.
Moreover, Dr. Muzailin emphasized the importance of a partnership in petroleum studies, given Indonesia’s vast natural resources. “This is a great opportunity for collaboration. We can connect with USK’s Faculty of Engineering, particularly the mining program, at both undergraduate and master’s levels. Indonesia is one of the largest sources of oil, with companies like PERTAMINA, so there is potential to explore opportunities in this area,” he added.
Beyond petroleum studies, the discussion also touched on broader academic collaborations. In this regard, Dr. Muzailin highlighted USK’s existing ties with American institutions, particularly its reciprocal partnership with Oberlin College. USK is one of the two Indonesian universities selected for the Oberlin Shansi Fellowship program, after Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). As part of this initiative, USK continues to host fellows contributing to its academic programs, including the current fellow in Aceh, Yana Levy.
To conclude, both parties expressed their aspirations for further collaboration in areas such as joint research, scholar exchanges, and other academic initiatives. Kalli Zhang noted the potential for disaster collaboration, stating, “Since Tulsa experiences many tornadoes, disaster collaboration is also a possible area of cooperation.”
With these discussions laying a strong foundation, USK and TU are now composed to explore mutually beneficial academic partnerships in the future.
