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Indonesian Embassy in Oslo Welcomes Postgraduate Cooperation “MBA” in Sustainability Management' between UGM and Agder University

The Indonesian Embassy in Oslo welcomed positively the achievement of a new educational cooperation involving Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Agder University (UiA) in Kristiansand City, Norway, and the ASEAN University Network (AUN).  Through the collaboration, there will be a postgraduate study program 'MBA in Sustainability  opened in August 2021. Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Iceland,Todung Mulya Lubis explained that UGM and UiA have had a quite long history of cooperation with various projects since 1992 in which the fund is mostly provided by the Norwegian government. Agder University has officially released information regarding the opening of the MBA in Sustainability Management study program. The education program which is fully funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will seek 30 candidates for each batch and  20 of them must come from countries in the ASEAN region.

Professor Stein Oluf Kristiansen from UiA stated that the multidisciplinary approach chosen makes this postgraduate program with an intensive study of 18 months. This  will be taught jointly by professors from UGM and UiA, as well as inviting practitioners from private business and public offices as guest lecturers in most courses.  He also explained that the MBA in Sustainability Management program aims at educating participants to take major positions in both government institutions and business sector. The participants are also expected to develop networks to various sectors of government and business through close relationships with teachers, internships and thesis writing.

Program participants will study an interdisciplinary approach to handle the most critical sustainability issues, such as urbanization, energy supply, vulnerable clean water and food security, air pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and the general effects of global climate change. Later, the participants are believed to be able to apply critical, ethical and holistic perspectives and analysis in managing business or government organizations heading for economic efficiency as well as  minimizing negative impacts on the environment. He also added that the participants who complete this program will obtain an MBA in Sustainability Management from UGM. From UGM, the program  will be carried out by the Faculty of Economics and Business. Meanwhile from UiA,  this program will be run by the School of Business and Law.

Furthermore, the participants from countries in the ASEAN region have also the opportunity to obtain a full scholarship from the Government of Norway amounting to US$ 17,000 dollars. The scholarship can be used for tuition fees, travel expenses, and living expenses for 18-month education. This scholarship is also given by the Government of Norway for two program intakes, with the first intake in August 2021. For the first intake program, the opening has started with the last deadline registration on January 15, 2021.