UNDIP, Semarang (2/8) – Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) continues to expand its international academic network by exploring and strengthening collaborations with a number of higher education institutions in France. UNDIP Vice Rector IV, Wijayanto, Ph.D., visited Paris and Angers on July 1st–4th, 2026 to follow up on UNDIP’s collaboration with The Institute for Development and Advance Studies of Paris or IDHEP, particularly in the development of a double degree master’s program with Université Paris-Saclay.
Institut de Développement et des Hautes Études de Paris (IDHEP) is an organization that supports international and French students in accessing further study and research opportunities in France through an understanding of the Licence–Master–Doctorat (LMD) system, a French higher education framework that facilitates academic level equivalency, credit transfer, and international educational mobility.
While in Paris, Wijayanto, Ph.D., had two meetings on Wednesday, July 1st and Saturday, July 4th with the President of IDHEP, Prof. Ali Smida. On Saturday, July 4th, an MoU was signed between UNDIP and IDHEP to collaborate on a double degree with Paris Sacley. In this case, because IDHEP already has a collaboration with Paris Sacley, IDHEP will be the liaison institution between UNDIP and Paris Sacley.
“IDHEP’s position is important as a liaison because it has extensive connections not only with Paris Sacley but also with Sorbonne University and other major campuses in France,” said Vice Rector IV.
From July 1st to 4th, the Deputy Rector attended the Joint Working Group in Angers, where he met with representatives from various French universities, including the Universities of Angers and Paris Sacley. He also met with the LPDP Research Director, who expressed his support for UNDIP’s work on the double degree program with Paris Sacley.
Vice Rector IV said that at the meeting in Angers he also met with the Vice President of Paris Sacley University, Rachid Benaccer, who had verbally agreed to communicate further to build cooperation with UNDIP.
In the UNDIP-IDHEP cooperation document, the collaboration space also includes other things, namely training, consultation, research, internship opportunities, lecturer exchanges or visiting researchers, international workshops, summer courses, degree programs, research collaborations, and joint supervision of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. IDHEP has established networks with UVSQ-Université Paris-Saclay, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, Sorbonne Paris Nord, and other higher education institutions in France so that in the future more universities can collaborate on similar programs.
Through this program, UNDIP academics have the opportunity to pursue master’s programs at UNDIP and Paris-Saclay, gain international academic experience, and expand access to the French higher education and research ecosystem. Initially, the Department and Study Program of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, UNDIP will enroll lecturers for the master’s program in 2026. Through this visit, UNDIP affirmed its commitment to expanding global collaboration, increasing academic mobility, and opening access to international education for students. The double-degree master’s program with Paris-Saclay is expected to be a significant step in strengthening UNDIP’s reputation as a research university actively building a global higher education network. (Public Communication/UNDIP/Nurul)