University of Melbourne Invites UMN FIKOM Lecturer to The Indonesia Initiatives 2026 Program

The Indonesia Initiative 2026 program, attended by Ignatius for three weeks at the University of Melbourne. (Doc. Ignatius)

Melbourne, Australia (26/05/2026) – The Head of the Master of Communication Science Study Program and journalism lecturer at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), Dr. Ignatius Haryanto Djoewanto, S.Sos., M.Hum., participated in the Indonesia Initiatives 2026 program organized by the University of Melbourne, Australia. This international academic program ran for three weeks and involved several Indonesian academics in teaching and research activities.

Ignatius’s involvement in this program represents a concrete step by UMN in strengthening internationalization and expanding its global academic network, particularly in the fields of communication and journalism.

“I received information about this program from one of my colleagues at the University of Melbourne. The Indonesia Initiative program invites a number of Indonesians each year to teach and conduct research. I went through a series of processes and selections, until the announcement in October 2025 that I would be visiting for three weeks,” Ignatius said.

During his three weeks at the University of Melbourne, Ignatius taught in accordance with his expertise in media and journalism. He taught the Human Rights in Asia course in the Department of Asian Studies and the International Journalism course in the Department of Journalism.

“I taught and shared a lot about the current media industry in Indonesia, ranging from press freedom to journalistic traditions in Indonesia. The student responses were quite positive; they felt they gained new information about media in Indonesia. Several students later wrote their topics on media in Indonesia,” he explained.

In addition to teaching at the University of Melbourne, Ignatius also had the opportunity to teach at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and Monash University. Ignatius also visited the renowned media company, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Group photo with Ignatius during a guest lecture for Monash University students in Melbourne. (Doc. Ignatius)

“Outside of academic matters, I learned new things during my time teaching at the University of Melbourne. One of them is how both lecturers and students there are quite relaxed in their attire. Although not too formal, they remain serious in attending lectures and teaching. For me, this is quite interesting from the perspective of Australian culture,” Ignatius explained.

During the Indonesia Initiative 2026 program, Ignatius networked extensively and built connections with fellow lecturers while opening opportunities for UMN FIKOM lecturers. He shared various topics of expertise among UMN FIKOM lecturers, so that, in the future, lecturers can pursue further studies at the University of Melbourne.

“I also discussed and opened up opportunities for lecturer exchange program collaborations, so that in the future UMN lecturers can teach at the University of Melbourne and vice versa. For me, this is a strategic step in enhancing UMN’s internationalization programs,” he emphasized.

Ignatius expressed that his three-week experience teaching at the University of Melbourne was an enjoyable academic experience. He hopes that more exchange and teaching opportunities for UMN lecturers abroad will become available, providing valuable new opportunities for UMN faculty members.

By Rachel Tiffany | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.