The Language, Literature, and Community Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) conducted an official visit to the Indonesian Language Institute for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) on Monday (May 19) at the UMSU Campus, Jalan Muchtar Basri No.3, Medan. The visit aimed to explore potential research collaboration in BIPA, particularly in developing teaching materials enriched with local cultural content.
The visit was led by Ade Mulyana, Head of BRIN’s Language, Literature, and Community Research Center, accompanied by a team of researchers, and was warmly received by Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi, M.Hum, Head of the UMSU BIPA Institute, along with faculty members involved in the BIPA teaching program.
Ade Mulyana stated that the visit marked an initial step toward building synergy between the national research institution and the university in advancing the academic field and teaching practices of BIPA.
“This meeting is a promising start to conceptualize a collaborative framework between BRIN and UMSU’s BIPA Institute in the area of BIPA research. We see great potential in developing teaching materials that highlight the rich local heritage of Sumatra as part of Indonesia’s language diplomacy,” he explained.
In addition to discussing collaborative research opportunities, both parties emphasized the importance of incorporating local cultural perspectives into language teaching for foreign speakers. Integrating local wisdom into learning materials not only enriches content but also serves as a bridge for intercultural understanding.
Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi reaffirmed UMSU’s readiness to be an active partner in linguistic research development.
“We see this as a key opportunity to broaden the reach and enhance the quality of UMSU’s BIPA program. Collaborating with BRIN will pave the way for the development of innovative, locally rooted teaching materials, while strengthening Indonesia’s global presence,” she stated.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion and the formulation of an initial cooperation framework, which will be followed up with collaborative research and academic publications. Both institutions are committed to designing a concrete roadmap for the partnership in the near future.
