International Relations Student Association (KOMAHI) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted International Relations Visit (IR Visit) 2018 on 2-5 August. 30 students of Department of International Relations of UMY visited Vietnam that previous visit destinations were Jakarta, Malaysia, and Thailand. The students were accompanied by Department Head of International Relations of UMY Dr. Nur Azizah, M.Si. and an IR Visit supervisor Takdir Ali Mukti, S. Sos., M.Si. Their departure ceremony was organized on 28 July at Building of A.R. Fachruddin A, floor 1 and attended by Rector of UMY Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, M.P. They visited several institutions such as Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Hanoi, UNSECO Hanoi, FPT University and FPT Software.

Vietnam was selected because the country has had bilateral relations with Indonesia since 30 December 1955 with the opening of the Indonesian Consulate in Hanoi turning into Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) on 10 August 1964. “Cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia encompasses politics, security defense, anti-corruption, economy and development, investment, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, transportation, energy, information and communication, science and technology, education, culture, health, and trade. “The relations between both countries underlies the KOMAHI of UMY to visit Vietnam,” declared Takdir Ali Mukti.

Specialization programs of Department of International Relations of UMY comprising of Non-governmental Organization (NGO) and Multinational Corporations (MNC) also became consideration of the visit. “The IR Visit enables to find out institutions related to specialization programs of Department of International Relations of UMY,” explained Takdir.

Meanwhile, Rector of UMY Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, M.P. appreciated the IR Visit. “This program can broaden students’ horizon on Vietnam as a Southeast Asian country,” he stated.