RJI Launches "World Class University" Program

RJI Launches "World Class University" Program to Boost International Academic Publishing in Indonesia

Makassar — In a bid to enhance the internationalization of academic publishing in Indonesia, Relawan Jurnal Indonesia (RJI) has officially launched its "World Class University" program. The launch event took place during a workshop on "OJS Journal Upgrading and Editorial Workflow," held in collaboration with the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) on Thursday, August 24, in Makassar. The event drew hundreds of participants, including academics, researchers, publishers, university system administrators, and other stakeholders.

M. Tanzil Multazam, a member of the RJI Supervisory Board who also delivered a presentation on the "World Class University" initiative, explained that the program aims to elevate the quality of higher education in Indonesia to compete on a global scale.

"This program is a concrete step by RJI to encourage Indonesian universities to meet international standards. Our goal is for our universities to improve their global reputation and competitiveness," he said during his presentation.

Tanzil, who is also a lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo (UMSIDA), further elaborated that RJI will offer training, workshops, and mentoring for higher education institutions interested in joining the program.

"We aim to build a strong international network so that research from Indonesia can gain greater recognition globally. Additionally, we are also running the International Journal Accreditation Assistance Program (PANJI) as part of RJI's internationalization efforts," he added.

Sitti Rabiah, a member of the RJI Advisory Board in South Sulawesi and Head of the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Program at UMI, emphasized the importance of internationalization for Indonesian higher education.

"Internationalization is not just about global recognition; it's also about enhancing academic quality and capacity domestically. By participating in this program, universities can expand their international networks and improve the quality of their research and publications," Sitti Rabiah explained.

She also highlighted that the "World Class University" program will focus on increasing the number of international publications by Indonesian researchers. "We want to ensure that research outputs from Indonesian universities are accessible to and recognized by the international academic community," she added.

Akbar Iskandar, Chairman of the RJI South Sulawesi Regional Board, stressed that the "World Class University" initiative by RJI is expected to have a positive impact on the development of higher education in Indonesia.

"Through this program, RJI is committed to continuously supporting Indonesian campuses in their efforts to achieve international standards and increase their contributions to global education," Akbar stated.

In addition to the launch of the WCU by RJI, the workshop also featured speakers from Brazil and Canada, accompanied by facilitators from Indonesia who are part of the PKP team. These included Jonas Raoni Soares da Silva, a System Developer at PKP; Patricia Mangahis, a Client Service Manager at PKP; and Maria Lamury, a Local Liaison for PKP in Indonesia.

The launch was also marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Simon Fraser University, the home institution of PKP, and Relawan Jurnal Indonesia (RJI), as PKP's strategic partner in Indonesia. The partnership aims to enhance the quality and diversity of academic publications through research, development, and the implementation of open-source software supporting scholarly publishing.

The event is expected to strengthen the ecosystem of academic journal management in Indonesia, enabling it to gain global recognition and access.