Peking University ready to expand research cooperation with Transmigration Ministry

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Peking University’s Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD) has expressed its readiness to expand cooperation with Indonesia’s Ministry of Transmigration through joint research and academic exchanges to support the development of transmigration areas. Professor Lei Xiaoyan, Chair of the National School of Development at Peking University, stated that the collaboration could be developed into a long-term platform extending beyond seminars. “We hope to build a long-term platform for targeted joint research on population governance, balanced regional development, and social security,” Lei said during the “Seminar on China’s Development Model” in Jakarta on Tuesday. Beyond joint research, she noted that opportunities for collaboration could include regular academic exchanges, youth exchanges, and dialogue between research institutions or think tanks. ISSCAD is also open to the possibility of officials from the Ministry of Transmigration enrolling in degree programmes in national development. Lei explained that ISSCAD focuses on development knowledge exchange, education for government officials, and strengthening academic and policy dialogue among developing countries. The seminar covered topics including governance, agricultural and industrial development, and poverty alleviation. Lei noted that Peking University has experience not only in research but also in providing guidance to regions in China on poverty eradication efforts. She stressed, however, that the knowledge exchange should not be one-way, adding, “We also want to learn from Indonesia’s development experience.” The Ministry of Transmigration previously dispatched 36 participants to China in May 2026 for training on transmigration area development and poverty alleviation. The participants included government officials, transmigration training instructors, transmigrants, and academics from 10 universities. The training ran from 9 to 22 May 2026, featuring lectures, discussions, and field visits, with outcomes directed towards producing policy papers and an implementable guidebook for transmigration areas. Cooperation continued in August 2026 when China’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Wang Lutong, expressed support for Indonesia’s transmigration transformation and opened opportunities for local governments in transmigration areas to study rural development and regional revitalisation in China. The “Seminar on China’s Development Model” was organised by the Ministry of Transmigration together with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Indonesia and Peking University through ISSCAD on 11-12 August 2026. The forum discussed national development, economic reform, governance, and development cooperation among developing countries. Deputy Minister of Transmigration Viva Yoga Mauladi expressed hope that the seminar would not only serve as an academic exchange of knowledge but also strengthen institutional partnerships and generate practical insights for policy development in Indonesia.