BANDUNG, Indonesia — On a cool, overcast Monday morning, senior officials from Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) and Telkom University met at the Telkom campus in southern Bandung to push their partnership into a deeper, more ambitious phase.

The Dec. 1 meeting, held in a second-floor conference room overlooking the tree-lined Terusan Buah Batu boulevard, focused on practical steps rather than ceremony. Both sides left convinced that a collaboration that started quietly a few years ago is now central to UIII’s rapid development as a modern Islamic research university.

Much of the conversation revolved around Dr. Yanuar Firdaus, a Telkom University informatics lecturer who has been on assignment as head of UIII’s IT center in Depok since 2023. His work building the university’s digital backbone from the ground up has impressed UIII’s leadership.

“His contribution has been outstanding,” said Chaider S. Bamualim, UIII’s university secretary, who led the visiting delegation. “We will soon send a formal letter of assignment and start the process to extend his contract.”

Telkom University sees equal advantage in keeping one of its own at the heart of a fast-growing university. The arrangement also paves the way for wider academic ties, especially at the doctoral level.

Lia Yuldinawati, Telkom’s director of strategic partnerships and international office, pointed out that the university has recently opened several new Ph.D. programs in informatics, data science, and technology management.

“We can offer fast-track entry or dedicated scholarships for UIII lecturers,” she said, adding that Telkom faculty would be equally welcome to pursue doctorates at UIII in Islamic studies, education, or social sciences.

The gathering brought together a compact but powerful group. Attending from Telkom University were Danan Suryadi, director of human resources; Dr. Yuldinawati; and Resha Akbar, head of planning and performance management and Fiera Wardhani Gladisa, Head of Human Resources Services Division.

The UIII delegation consisted of Mr. Bamualim; Hatta Aulia, head of organization and legal affairs; the author, head of media and communications; and Dr. Firdaus.

The mood was relaxed but purposeful—cups of strong Javanese coffee, a few group photos, and then straight to the details. A new memorandum of understanding and several implementing agreements are expected to be signed in early 2026, covering IT support, faculty exchanges, joint supervision of doctoral students, and shared research initiatives.

UIII, established by presidential decree in 2016 and still completing its permanent campus south of Jakarta, is determined to show that an Islamic university can excel in science and technology. Telkom University, the country’s largest private technical institution and backed by the national telecommunications company, brings the engineering muscle and industry connections the younger university needs.

When the meeting ended shortly before noon, the atmosphere remained warm. Two institutions with different histories and mandates had just agreed on a common road ahead—one that links faith-based scholarship with the tools of the digital era, and one that both sides believe will serve Indonesia for decades to come.[]