USK Strengthens Longstanding Partnership with Oberlin College, USA

Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) welcomed a delegation from Oberlin College, United States, on Monday, 28 April 2025, marking another milestone in the longstanding collaboration between the two institutions. The delegation was represented by Ted Samuel, Shansi Senior Director, and was officially received by USK’s Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Agussabti, M.Sc.

The visit focused on evaluating the progress of the cooperation that has spanned over a decade, particularly through the Oberlin Shansi Fellowship program. This initiative enables Oberlin College to send its fellows to USK to teach English, while also facilitating the exchange of USK faculty members as visiting scholars at Oberlin College.

During the meeting, both parties also discussed potential improvements in campus facilities for future Oberlin fellows. Currently, USK hosts two fellows from Oberlin — Ariana Leandery and Yana Ariel — while Oberlin is hosting a USK lecturer, Novita, from Psychology background, as part of the faculty exchange program.

Prof. Agussabti expressed his appreciation for the visit and reiterated USK’s commitment to strengthening the partnership. “We highly value our collaboration with Oberlin College, and we hope that our cooperation will continue to grow closer and more impactful in the years ahead,” he said.

Also present at the meeting were Dr. Muzailin Affan, Chairman of the Office of International Affairs (OIA), along with OIA staff Angkasah, S.Ag., M.A., Head of the Language Center Dr. Kismullah, and the two Oberlin Shansi fellows, Ariana Leandry and Yana Levy.

The visit not only reaffirmed the strong institutional bond between USK and Oberlin College but also highlighted the shared commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange and academic collaboration.