From July 6 to 8, 2026, representatives of the Department of Architecture and Planning, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), conducted an academic visit to the Department of Architecture, Dong-Eui University (DEU), Busan, South Korea. This visit marked an important milestone in strengthening UGM Architecture’s international network, while also introducing the context of architectural education in Indonesia to the academic community in South Korea.
The series of activities began with a guest lecture titled “Learning Architecture in Context: Indonesia and Yogyakarta.” This lecture introduced Indonesia, the city of Yogyakarta, and the profile of UGM’s Architecture Study Program to DEU’s academic community. It also presented an overview of ongoing research focused on publicness in architecture and urban design, a topic exploring how public space is shaped and given meaning within architectural practice and urban design. The lecture was attended by approximately 30 final-year students and 4 professors from DEU, becoming a space for academic dialogue between two institutions from different cultural backgrounds.
In addition to the guest lecture, the visit also included a review of DEU’s Graduation Exhibition, where the UGM Architecture representative served as an external jury in determining the best works on display. This involvement provided a cross-institutional perspective in assessing the quality of students’ design work, while also serving as an opportunity to exchange insights on design education approaches between the two countries.
Another significant agenda item was a visit to DEU’s campus facilities as part of a comparative study related to KAAB (Korea Architectural Accrediting Board) accreditation. Dong-Eui University is an institution that has already obtained KAAB accreditation, while UGM’s Architecture Study Program is currently preparing for its re-accreditation process, scheduled for the end of 2026. This comparative study offered a valuable opportunity to learn about the standards, systems, and best practices involved in meeting international accreditation criteria in architectural education.
The series of visits concluded with a session of academic discussion and networking between the two institutions. From this discussion, an initial agreement was reached to organize an international design workshop in 2027, involving students and lecturers from both UGM Architecture and DEU. As a follow-up, both parties agreed to promptly draft a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to formalize the collaboration. This visit is expected to serve as a sustainable first step in expanding architectural education collaboration between Indonesia and South Korea.
Supporting SDG Points:
- SDG 4 – Quality Education
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
- SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities