Department of Civil Engineering Education and Planning developed an academic collaboration program with Beihang University, Beijing-China. This activity is carried out from March to November 2020. This activity aims to increase academic horizons and improve the quality of education. Various activities that have been carried out include guest lecturers, visiting professors, visiting researchers, joint research and publications. The initial stage of the activity was a guest lecturer inviting Omer, a researcher from Beihang University, a Turkish citizen. The themes studied were related to design and analysis using the Finite Element Method (FEM); this activity was opened by the head of the Department, Dr Ir. Slamet Widodo, followed by all students of the PTSP Department. “The event was exciting; the field of knowledge presented was relatively new to us. This activity increases our learning motivation to achieve even better.” Says one student Furthermore, the visiting professor and visiting researcher programs are an inseparable series. This program was original to be carried out offline by bringing in a Professor in Structure from Beihang University. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of both programs was suspended and used a virtual machine.

Meanwhile, in the visiting professor and visiting researcher program, the material discussed is related to energy methods which include the energy method (work and energy), internal strain-energy stored, principle of real work and real energy, the principle of virtual work using virtual forces, and the principle of virtual work (using virtual displacements). Method of virtual work for beams, trusses, Principle of Stationary (extremum) potential energy and Castigliano's theorem for beams & Frames—also presented about its implementation in the field of structure using computer-aided program applications.

"The visiting professor and visiting researcher program will continue to be developed in the future; this is important to provide valuable academic experience for JPTSP students," added Slamet Widodo in his speech.

The final stage of the activity is in the form of joint research and publication, which discusses the theme of semi precast model technology. Beihang University, represented by Prof. Zhengguo Gao, played a role in the analysis of numerical models using FEM. Meanwhile, the physical laboratory tests were fully carried out in the Materials and Structures Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Planning Education, Yogyakarta State University.

The entire series of academic collaboration activities are fully supported by the Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University. The output of this activity is an Implementation Agreement (IA), MoU, and MoA between the PTSP Department and Beihang University. Not only that, but Prof. Zhengguo Gao also openly provides opportunities for students majoring in PTSP to study at Beihang University through a summer course scheme, further study for Masters to Doctoral levels.

In closing, quoting the wise words of Einstein as follows:

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning." (Learn from yesterday, live for now, hope for tomorrow. The most essential thing is not to stop asking). (Faqih).