POLIJE AND MSU STRENGTHEN RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS

The Department of Agribusiness Management at Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije), in collaboration with the International Office (KUI), held a focused coordination meeting with representatives from Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia. This initiative aimed to enhance academic collaboration, particularly in research areas related to management, business, and entrepreneurship.

This meeting served as a platform to explore strategic opportunities for international research partnerships between the two institutions. It focused on identifying relevant research schemes, funding mechanisms, and common thematic interests that could serve as the basis for future joint activities.

MSU proposed three key collaboration schemes: Joint Research, Joint Conferences, and a Matching Grant program, which allows co-authorship of academic papers with financial support shared between institutions. Polije’s International Office saw this as a valuable opportunity to facilitate international publication and research development among its academic staff.

Research topics discussed during the meeting included Sustainable Business and Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Green Economy, Human Resource Management, Synergistic Management, and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. These themes align closely with the expertise of both the Management and Agribusiness Management Departments at Polije.

An important point of discussion was the possibility of initiating joint research projects in 2025. Both parties expressed enthusiasm and readiness to begin with small-scale collaboration, with the goal of expanding over time. It was agreed that Polije could utilize its International Research Assignment Scheme to support the initial stages of cooperation, especially under the matching grant scheme offered by MSU.

Additionally, MSU welcomed the idea of co-supervision of students’ final projects, providing Polije students with international exposure and academic support. This initiative will also encourage faculty members to build cross-border academic networks and strengthen institutional collaboration.

The meeting also raised the possibility of piloting entrepreneurship-focused matching grant research, especially by the Agribusiness Management Department, whose ongoing initiatives strongly resonate with MSU’s focus on entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Finally, there was a brief discussion regarding the potential for joint degree programs, particularly for the three-year diploma (D3) program, provided there is curricular alignment. This proposal will be further studied and discussed with institutional leadership for future implementation.

The session concluded with a mutual commitment to follow up on the outlined research themes and to coordinate next steps through the International Office. Polije reaffirmed its dedication to advancing meaningful international cooperation in research and education. (rda)