ISI TO COOPERATE WITH THREE THAI UNIVERSITIES

Denpasar, Aug 26 (ANTARA) - Denpasar's Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) is currently exploring the possibility of cooperation with three art universities in Thailand.

"The cooperation agreement with two of the three universities has been signed and the rest will follow later," ISI Rector Prof I Wayan Rai S said here on Wednesday.

Wayan Rai has just arrived here from Thailand after leading a 25-member group of artists, made up of ISI lecturers and students, to sign the agreement.

He said two cooperation agreements respectively with the University of Sonkla Rajabath Thailand and Suratani University of Thailand, while the third would soon be signed with an art institute in South Thailand.

"If the two sides have reached an agreement, the memorandum of understanding on the cooperation will soon be signed in the near future," Wayan Rai said.

He said the cooperation with the University of Sonkla Rajabath Thailand and Suratani University of Thailand which has been signed would soon be followed up.

According to Wayan Rai, the interstate art cooperation with Thailand would involve lectures and student exchange programs for the participants to carry out teaching and learning process.

He said that in the future the students form the three universities in Thailand could continue their study on art at ISI Denpasar, while ISI students could also make the same thing in Thailand for several semesters in accordance with mutual agreement.

The cooperation would be the first step for ISI Denpasar to "go international" because a lot of foreign students are at present studying at ISI.

Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) Denpasar on Jalan Nusa Indah is not just a place to study the traditional or contemporary Balinese art but
also houses a complete collection of Balinese gamelan sets from ancient to newly invented ones, and from classical to contemporary style.