The Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia (FIB UI) successfully organized an academic event titled “Ancient Nalanda and its Masters: Legacy, Global Influence, and Revitalisation.” Held on Monday, 8 December 2025, the lecture focused on the historical greatness of Nalanda University as an ancient center of intellectual excellence and the relevance of its values in the context of modern-day modernization. Taking place at the Tjan Tjoe Som Auditorium, Building IV Hoesein Djajadiningrat, this guest lecture served as a platform for profound discussion regarding the significant contributions of Nalanda’s great masters to world civilization.
The scholarly discussion featured Ven. Dr. Pooja Dabral, an Assistant Professor from SBSPCR & SLLH, Nalanda University, as the keynote speaker. In her presentation, Dr. Pooja explained that Nalanda was not merely a past educational institution, but a symbol of cross-cultural knowledge transmission that has influenced various philosophical traditions across Asia and the globe. The session was moderated by Jessica, an assistant for the Eastern Philosophy class from the Philosophy Study Program at FIB UI, who facilitated the dialogue between the speaker and the attendees.
This guest lecture is part of FIB UI’s ongoing commitment to strengthening students’ global perspectives, particularly in understanding the history of Eastern thought. By exploring the current revitalization process of Nalanda, participants were invited to reflect on ways to preserve intellectual heritage so that it remains adaptive to contemporary developments. It is hoped that this event will further strengthen international academic cooperation and enrich the discourse on history and philosophy within the Universitas Indonesia community. (RMRW)
