Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with College of Social Sciences of Cheng Kung University on Saturday (1/4). The MoU was signed by Dean of both parties, namely Prof. Dr. Yue-dian Hsu from Cheng Kung University and Ali Muhammad, Ph.D. from FISIPOL of UMY.

The collaboration is in term of staff exchange, student exchange, joint research, seminars, academic cooperation, material and academic information sharing, and short course. Ali stated that the cooperation aims at enhancing international understanding of both parties. “In detail, the MoU tells that ten students will join student exchange and two teaching staffs at both universities each semester. Two researchers of both universities also will conduct research collaboration each semester,” informed Ali.

After the MoU signing, FISIPOL parties also organized ‘International Seminar on Social and Politics.’ Acting as the speakers is Prof. Chin-Fu Hung, Ph.D. from Cheng Kung University and Walker De Puy, Ph.D. from University of Georgia, the United States. They discussed Focus of Asia on Global Changes.

Prof. Chin-Fu Hung talked about people’s behaviors in the internet and social media use in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Many political actors of the country nowadays utilize social media to create good political images in front of young people who are the active users of internet,” maintained Prof. Chin-Fu.

The behaviors in the internet use affect behaviors of internet democracy in the PRC. “Governmental system in the PRC is monarchy. Nevertheless, the rapid internet development leads to a new main issue in the PRC, namely internet democracy. The development brings significant impacts on the relations between the government and the people. Indeed, the internet development of influences the authoritarian regime of the PRC,” uttered Prof. Chin-Fu.