This program successfully gathered over 200 participants and showcased 39 creative business innovations. The 2024 WMK UGM carried the theme “Techno Sociopreneurship in Supporting Sustainable Development.”

Participants presented innovations across various business fields, including agribusiness, agrotechnology, cultivation, digital, circular economy, fashion, creative industries, services, culinary, and technology. 

One notable product was a beauty innovation called Biolea, developed by a team led by Nafizza Laurent, an Accounting student from UGM’s Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM). 

The soap, made with 100% natural ingredients and unique extracts such as moringa leaves, charcoal, and banana peels, won the Best Poster and Best Pitching categories. 

“Biolea emerged as an idea developed by the team, later refined through collaboration with supervising lecturers and partners, eventually resulting in a market-ready product,” Laurent explained.  

Laurent highlighted that the WMK program is a platform to build teamwork skills. She emphasized the importance of empathy and discussion in team management to foster competence among members while minimizing conflicts. 

Moreover, she found the program valuable for enhancing communication and networking with partners and markets. 

“Starting a business is not just about the product; it involves many other aspects like building relationships and communicating with partners and the market,” she concluded.  

Dr. Hempri Suyatna, Chairperson of the 2024 WMK UGM, stated that the program aims to raise students’ awareness of social issues and encourage them to create sustainable solutions using technological advancements. 

He expressed hope that the innovations generated through WMK would not end with the program. 

“The businesses established by WMK UGM participants should continue beyond the program’s conclusion. Entrepreneurship is not merely about making a profit; it is an activity that must provide benefits to the broader community,” Dr. Suyatna emphasized.  

The closing event of WMK UGM 2024 was complemented by an Expo and Demo Day, held at GIK UGM on Dec. 10–11, 2024. 

The 39 participating teams successfully completed three learning phases: pre-immersion, immersion, and post-immersion, resulting in validated entrepreneurial products.  

Throughout the program, participants received guidance and mentorship from field supervisors and industry partners across various business sectors. 

This support covered product development, prototyping, and feasibility studies during the pre-immersion and immersion phases. In the final phase, post-immersion, students prepared for the Expo and Demo Day through capacity-building activities. 

It is hoped that the prototypes developed will continue to be incubated by universities to ensure sustainability.  

Author: Lazuardi  

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Artikel UGM’s Wirausaha Merdeka Program Produces 39 Creative Business Innovation Products pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The enhancement of vocational education begins in vocational high schools and continues through applied bachelor’s degree programs. 

Graduates from vocational education have been supporting the industrial workforce needs in the country. 

However, many companies still perceive vocational graduates as not yet fully qualified for the industrial sector. Therefore, improvements in industry-based learning are necessary to ensure vocational education aligns with the needs of industries, businesses, and employment.

This issue emerged during the National Seminar titled “Strengthening Comprehensive Vocational Education as the Pillar of the Indonesia Emas 2045 Vision,” held on Saturday (Oct. 19) at the Teaching Industry Learning Center (TILC) of UGM Vocational College (SV UGM). 

The seminar, organized by SV UGM, featured three speakers: Saryadi, the Secretary of the Directorate General of Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education; Dr. Muhammad Aditya Warman, a member of the Supervisory Board of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan; and Dr. Aliridho Barakbah, the director of the Surabaya State Electronics Polytechnic.

Dean of SV UGM, Professor Agus Maryono, stated that vocational education should be based on applied sciences. 

Professor Maryono explained why research in Indonesia lags behind other countries: the imbalance between pure scientific and applied research.

Professor Maryono also touched on companies’ perceptions of vocational students’ capability. Therefore, vocational education should be able to convince companies that its students are adequately prepared to enter the industrial sector.

On that occasion, he reported that of all the faculties at UGM, SV UGM contributed the most students accepted into the Indonesia International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) and the Certified Independent Study and Internship Program (MSIB). 

Hundreds of other students participate in independent internships through their respective study programs. 

“I believe this demonstrates vocational education’s achievements and future relevance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Saryadi emphasized the significance of vocational education in Indonesia’s educational roadmap. 

According to Law Number 59 of 2024 on the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN), vocational education will become a key pillar of Indonesia’s future human resources and productivity. 

Implementing industry-based learning will make vocational education highly relevant to the needs of industries, businesses, and employment.

In addition, Saryadi discussed the challenges facing vocational education in Indonesia moving forward. 

Among these challenges is the suboptimal role of universities as scientific developers and knowledge producers. He urged academics to continue the research they have developed and not stop at publication alone. 

“Research results can be beneficial, impactful, and provide solutions to society,” said Saryadi.

Author: Tiefany

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afif

Artikel Vocational Schools Urged to Develop Industry-Based Learning pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The selected students are In’am Salsabila Ramadhani, Fathin Imaduddin Hilmi, Muhammad Raffa Avriza Danurwendo, and Kayla Arisanti Azzah. The internship runs from Sep. 17 to Nov. 28, 2024.

Kayla, one of the internship participants, expressed her excitement about this opportunity, especially because it takes place at a Wagyu cattle breeding station. 

“We are very excited because this internship includes working with Wagyu cattle, an opportunity we wouldn’t get in Indonesia. Moreover, not all students can experience this,” Kayla told reporters on Wednesday (Oct. 2).

According to Kayla, to be selected for the internship program, she and her peers had to undergo a selection process, which included submitting documents such as a curriculum vitae, academic transcripts in English, an application letter, and a recommendation letter from the UGM Faculty of Animal Science. 

“There wasn’t any special test, but English proficiency was one of the important criteria in the selection,” she said.

During the internship, Kayla explained that she would learn about livestock management systems, including feed management, maintenance systems, housing systems, and biosecurity. Additionally, they will study livestock commodities such as Wagyu cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs.

For Kayla, interning at Sumiyoshi Field aligns perfectly with her major and the knowledge she has gained during her studies. 

“What we previously learned only in theory, we can now apply directly in the field,” she explained.

She also finds the internship experience in Japan highly enriching, especially since it allows her to become more familiar with the local culture and learn specific techniques for raising Wagyu cattle.

Before their departure, the students received guidance from program leaders and academic advisors. 

One of the advisors, Tristianto Nugroho, mentioned that this internship program provides an opportunity to apply the knowledge they have learned, broadens their understanding of international livestock practices, and helps them develop relevant skills for the future. 

He hopes the students will use their time in Japan to hone their skills. 

“While theory remains important, students should also refine their practical skills during the internship in Japan and build connections with new friends,” he said.

Author: Rahma  

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Artikel UGM Students Intern at Japanese Wagyu Cattle Farming Company pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The five students are Monalisa Christine, Andrea Yudistira Sutisno, Silvester Taffarel Irza E. D., Az Zahra Alifa Fernanta, and Nanda Chrisvina Jiwanda Fidelia. They carried out a program translating subtitles from French to Indonesian under Dr. Merry Andriani, a French Language and Literature lecturer.

Dr. Andriani stated that the subtitle writing activity is part of the Internal MBKM Study Program in the French Language and Literature Program. The students’ involvement stems from the abundance of French films available, yet very few with Indonesian subtitles. 

“This student team collaborated with various parties to ensure the smoothness and efficiency of the subtitle creation for these films,” said Dr. Andriani in a statement to the press on Tuesday (Sep. 17).

The collaboration included groups such as IFI Jakarta and IFrance. IFI Jakarta trained the student team on translating film subtitles for inclusion in the films. IFrance provided easier access to films for context understanding during the translation process. 

“IFrance prepared the films to be ready for screening,” explained Nanda Chrisvina Jiwanda Fidelia, one of the participating students in the program.

The team faced challenges while creating these subtitles, such as the difficulty of finding equivalent words in French and Indonesian. However, they remained enthusiastic about completing the film subtitles.

“Our initial motivation was to fulfill the internship credits. But along the way, we became very enthusiastic about finishing this film so it could be screened for many viewers. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that our efforts can entertain many people watching this film,” Fidelia expressed.

One of their works, the subtitles for the film Divertimento, were screened at the IFI Yogyakarta on Thursday (Sep. 12) evening. 

The Director of IFI, François Dabin, attended the film screening and expressed his hopes during an interview session that they could collectively improve the program’s implementation and expand it into other fields. 

“Certainly, there are still many aspects of this program that we can enhance, but I hope that this collaboration will be strengthened and expanded, perhaps beyond films and literary works, opening opportunities for collaborations in other fields with France,” explained Dabin.

Dabin noted that the French film subtitle writing program further encourages cultural exchange activities between France and Indonesia, strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

Author: Hanif

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afif

Artikel Five UGM Students Complete Subtitle Translation for French Films pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

It not only enriches academic knowledge but also offers students new perspectives. Giovandi Sechen, a student of the Animal Science and Industry program at the UGM Faculty of Animal Science (Animal Science UGM), who received the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) scholarship, experienced this.

IISMA is a student exchange program that allows Indonesian students to study at prestigious universities worldwide for one semester. It is one of the seven flagship programs under MBKM launched by the Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim. 

Target universities for IISMA are located globally, including in Singapore, France, Australia, and the United States. The program funds all exchange activities, covering preparation, transportation, accommodation, and monthly stipends.

Sechen received the IISMA scholarship to study for one semester at Michigan State University (MSU), United States, from August to December 2023. He expressed joy and pride in having the opportunity to study in the U.S. 

“I gained valuable life experience. We also acquired cross-cultural knowledge and international relations through interactions with fellow students, lecturers, and residents,” Sechen shared on Wednesday (Sep. 4).

During his studies at Michigan State University, he took several courses in economics, business, and politics. 

“In line with the goals of IISMA, I took courses unrelated to my major at UGM. This was intended to broaden my perspective on other fields of study and complement the knowledge I had already gained,” he added.

Aside from academic activities, Sechen was also active in non-academic events at MSU, including sports, organizations, and seminars. One of the seminars he attended featured a Meta speaker who discussed using artificial intelligence to create added value. 

In addition to exploring East Lansing, where MSU is located, Sechen visited other cities in the United States, such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

He also actively introduced Indonesian culture to local residents. Together with other IISMA MSU awardees, he collaborated with the Indonesian Students Association (Permias) at MSU to hold an event called “Indonesia Cultural Night.”

This event aimed to introduce Indonesian culture, tourism, and cuisine to the local community. Visitors were treated to traditional Indonesian food and cultural performances, including dances, music, and monologues. Additionally, they were introduced to various popular tourist destinations in Indonesia.

For Sechen, the IISMA program was a life-changing and unforgettable experience. The opportunity to study at Michigan State University expanded his academic and professional horizons and provided valuable lessons in cultural adaptation, personal development, and building international networks. 

He believes that this experience has shaped his worldview, opened new career opportunities, and given him insights that can be applied to contribute more effectively to his community.

Report by: Animal Science UGM/Satria

Author: Tiefany

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afif

Artikel UGM Student Introduces Indonesian Culture at Michigan State University pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Hadzami took full advantage of this internship to gain valuable experience and improve his skills in software engineering. 

“The internship opportunity at Gojek Indonesia provided me with valuable experiences and enriched my portfolio,” said the 2021 student of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM) to reporters on Tuesday (Sep. 3).

Hadzami shared that during his internship and independent study, he was placed on the GoCorp team, a B2B (business-to-business) service that manages company expenses and reimbursements. 

As a software engineer intern, his responsibilities included developing internal APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), integrating GoCorp services with Salesforce, identifying tech debt and solutions, and managing and planning the migration of GoCorp applications from the old infrastructure to the new one.

He was involved in understanding requirements, creating step-by-step documentation, implementing coding and testing through programming and user testing, and monitoring during the development process, such as publishing application changes and adhering to company standards such as logging and application performance monitoring. 

“During the internship, I had a routine schedule like stand-up meetings, IPM, and sprint retrospectives,” he explained.

Hadzami described his time interning at PT Gojek Indonesia as enjoyable. The company provided fun entertainment facilities to help relieve stress, and the working hours were quite flexible. 

“I could start work at eleven o’clock to avoid traffic,” he added.

He also found the work environment to be highly adaptive and supportive. Hadzami gained international experience through interactions with engineers from outside Indonesia who collaborated with his team. 

“During my initial orientation at PT Gojek Indonesia, I was immediately assigned tasks, even though I was unfamiliar with the technology. The same happened during the infrastructure migration, where I was unfamiliar,” Hadzami shared.

To adapt to the team and the new responsibilities, Hadzami always made a list of essential questions and actively sought advice from his colleagues. His perseverance during the internship earned him recognition, with seven of his courses converted to 20 credits. 

He said many subjects he took during his studies, such as databases, computer networks, and software engineering workshops, were beneficial during his internship.

Hadzami aspires to continue his education and build a career abroad, eventually bringing the knowledge and experience back to Indonesia to serve as a CTO (Chief Technology Officer) or principal software engineer at a startup or tech company.

Universitas Gadjah Mada also provides broad opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in various sectors as part of its commitment to supporting sustainable development.

Bondan Wijanarko, Coordinator of Interdisciplinary Learning at the UGM Directorate of Education and Teaching, explained that MSIB is a comprehensive career preparation program that allows students to study outside their major with guaranteed credit conversion recognized by the university. 

“This year, a total of 1,055 students are participating in the program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology,” he said.

Report by: B. Diah Listianingsih

Author: Bolivia Rahmawati

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afif

Artikel UGM Student Hadzami Shares Memories of Interning at Gojek Indonesia pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Muhammad Najib (24) still remembers why he applied for the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program in 2023. Studying abroad has been Najib’s dream since graduating from vocational school. 

At that time, Najib participated in the selection process for the Global Korean Scholarship (GKS) offered by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) in South Korea. 

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side, and Najib had to withdraw after the interview stage to continue his studies in Indonesia.

In his second year as an Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology student at the UGM Vocational College (SV UGM), Najib continued his dream of studying abroad. 

Armed with a portfolio and experience he had gathered at UGM, Najib decided to apply for the IISMA program, one of the overseas study scholarships offered by the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) initiative. 

Given his field of study, Najib chose the Deggendorf Institute of Technology in Germany as his destination campus.

Najib is one of many ambitious Indonesian students who want to study abroad. It’s no wonder that many of the world’s leading universities are in developed countries. 

With enthusiasm for bringing change to Indonesia, these students are eager to gain as much knowledge as possible abroad and then return to apply what they’ve learned in Indonesia. 

However, studying abroad often comes with significant costs. 

The Ministry of Education, through the MBKM initiative, has established flagship programs to help Indonesian students achieve their dreams of studying abroad without financial barriers.

The Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) program allows Indonesian students to participate in a semester-long exchange at prestigious universities worldwide. 

IISMA is one of the seven flagship MBKM programs launched by the Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim. The target universities for IISMA are spread across the globe, including Singapore, France, Australia, and the United States. 

The IISMA program covers all aspects of the exchange, from preparation, transportation, and accommodation to a monthly stipend.

As of 2023, the number of IISMA scholarship recipients has reached 6,522 students from both undergraduate and diploma levels. 

IISMA offers five schemes: regular, affirmative (for KIP-K scholarship holders from 3T regions), co-funding, vocation (IISMAVO), and entrepreneurship (IISMA-E). These schemes ensure that all students have equal opportunities to study abroad.

Building a Bridge of Knowledge on Another Continent

Studying in a new, distant, unfamiliar place isn’t just about moving from one location to another. Students must adapt to the curriculum and learning culture of the host country. Additionally, they often explore fields of study outside their original disciplines.

As an Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology student, Najib has always been interested in computer science, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Unfortunately, these fields were underexplored in his department in Indonesia. 

Therefore, he took advantage of his study opportunity in Germany to delve into computer science.

Learning something new in a foreign country is not without its challenges.

“It might not be my basic expertise, so when I first studied it in Germany, I found it difficult to follow,” Najib admitted.

Moreover, Najib had to adapt to the academic system in Germany, which differs from that in Indonesia. In Germany, grades for each course are only assessed at the end of the semester. 

This can be advantageous since student attendance isn’t part of the assessment criteria. 

However, besides academics, Najib, the IISMA student representative (SR) in Germany, had to participate in various events outside his educational activities. Fortunately, he managed to handle everything well. 

“Thank God, my grades are safe!” Najib said.

Rachel Adeline Wiguna, a 2021 Psychology student at UGM who received the IISMA scholarship in 2023 at the University of Adelaide, Australia, had a similar experience.

Rachel noted that the learning system in Australia differs significantly from that in Indonesia. There, each course consists of three types of classes: lectures, workshops, and tutorials. Each class type has a different implementation mechanism. 

Workshops and tutorials have fewer students than general lectures, with a maximum of 20 students per class.

The flexible academic system allows students to have different schedules each week. 

“There’s a lecture on Tuesday, and there might be another one on Thursday. They repeat the material on Tuesday to accommodate all students, so everyone gets the material,” Rachel explained.

Lecturers also play a significant role in each student’s learning process. One of the advantages of studying in Australia is the openness of lecturers to personal discussion sessions and the ease of contacting them. 

“If I was confused about something, I asked the lecturer, and they were willing to help,” Rachel said.

The difference in academic culture is also felt in the context of social relationships, especially friendships among students. 

As exchange students, Najib and Rachel naturally wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to expand their networks with students at the local campuses. However, the way of socializing in Indonesia cannot always be applied when interacting with students abroad.

The habit of small talk or “beating around the bush” with strangers is not well-suited in Australia. Rachel acknowledged that chatting after class is not a common practice in Adelaide. There, students return to their dorms or head to their next destination without stopping to chat with friends.

“It wasn’t just in class; when I joined the orchestra club there, after practice, they just left,” Rachel recounted.

For Rachel, making friends with local students requires extra effort. However, she doesn’t interpret this as exchange students being unable to socialize with local students. 

“Maybe their culture is more to the point. They only discuss what’s necessary,” Rachel said.

Najib had a different experience while studying in Germany. He admitted being shy and felt he hadn’t fully utilized the experience of meeting international students. 

He believes he could have expanded his network by befriending more students. Nevertheless, Najib still found peers who shared similar interests. 

“Regarding the friendship experience there, I liked the culture,” Najib recalled.

While studying in Germany, Najib took advantage of his time by joining the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Deggendorf, an international student association. 

He connected with fellow international students through this organization by participating in various activities. Najib also joined the Host Family program and gained foster parents.

Seeing the World Through IISMA

It’s been a year since Najib first set foot in Deggendorf, a city on the edge of Germany, far from the hustle and bustle of the capital. For him, Germany left such an impression that he wanted to return for his master’s studies. 

As a student enrolled in the Kartu Indonesia Pintar-Kuliah (KIP-K) scholarship program, participating in IISMA was a life-changing experience. 

“I’m confident I can manage my money well. My financial situation has improved,” Najib said.

His journey in Deggendorf made Najib realize he was just one small fragment in this vast world. While studying in Germany, Najib met remarkable Indonesians and shared inspiring stories with them. He also exchanged stories with friends who had already started working in Germany. 

“From there, I wanted to be meaningful and help others with the knowledge I’ve gained,” Najib said.

The international experience Rachel gained through IISMA also led her to exchange ideas with other international students. 

“One of the most significant benefits is the cultural exchange,” Rachel said. Through IISMA, Rachel discussed social issues in each country and explored potential solutions through classroom discussions.

The difference in dynamics between lecturers and students was also one of Rachel’s most memorable experiences while studying at the University of Adelaide. There, lecturers highly valued students’ efforts in completing assignments. 

Unlike her experience at UGM, Rachel received feedback from lecturers, allowing her to understand her strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in future assignments.

Every step of Najib and Rachel’s journey has shaped them into resilient and open-minded individuals. Through IISMA, they dared to step out of their comfort zones and discover their true selves, paving the way for their future paths.

Author: Tiefany Ruwaida Nasukha/BPPM Balairung UGM

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Artikel Crossing Continents for Indonesia: Journey of IISMA Awardees in Pursuing Education Abroad pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

For Alfaiza, the Kampus Mengajar Program was a golden opportunity to learn while making a tangible impact on education in remote areas. During the program, Alfaiza was placed at SD Negeri Ngadirejo 5, Kediri City, East Java. 

There, she and her team began by observing various aspects of the school, including the classroom environment, school infrastructure, and organizational structure. 

“I also had to learn how to deliver material to elementary school students effectively,” Alfaiza said in an interview at the UGM Campus on Tuesday (Aug. 27).

It was not easy for Alfaiza to adapt quickly to a new environment far from campus and to face various technical challenges on-site. However, she considered every challenge a valuable lesson. She and her team even initiated a literacy festival to boost students’ reading interest. 

“Our biggest achievement was the literacy and numeracy festival, which gave us many opportunities to develop and showcase our potential,” she stated.

Alfaiza acknowledged that participating in the Kampus Mengajar Program enhanced her soft skills, including practical skills, communication, adaptability, self-development, and leadership. 

“For me, this program is a great opportunity for students to improve their abilities and expand their professional networks,” she added.

As an alumnus of Kampus Mengajar, Alfaiza hopes that her presence at SD Negeri Ngadirejo 5 will have a lasting positive impact on students and teachers. She believes the spirit of change she and her team brought will inspire the school to continue innovating in teaching and learning. 

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to make an impact and create innovations in education through this Kampus Mengajar program,” she said.

Dr. Ngadisih, the coordinator of the Kampus Mengajar Program at UGM, stated that UGM actively supports this MBKM program, which provides a platform for students to apply their skills and knowledge in primary and secondary education settings.

The number of applicants for this program at UGM increases each year. For the 8th batch in 2024, 54 UGM students applied, but only three were selected, which poses a challenge for the organizers. 

“Currently, three students are actively participating in the program,” she said.

Dr. Ngadisih explained that UGM plays a role in two types of Kampus Mengajar programs: those run by Dikti (flagship) and those independently managed by the university’s study programs. The Kampus Mengajar Program is designed to allow students to learn outside their study programs by becoming teaching partners. 

“They can develop creative, innovative, and engaging teaching strategies in primary and secondary education,” she explained.

One positive outcome of this program is the increased motivation among students taught by UGM participants, which encourages them to study harder. 

“Through this program, there has also been an improvement in teachers’ capacity to develop teaching methods,” she noted.

However, the Kampus Mengajar Program at UGM also faces challenges. Dr. Ngadisih mentioned that the main challenge for students and organizers is converting the study programs into credit units (SKS). 

To address this, UGM collaborates with Dikti to provide technical guidance on SKS recognition for the study programs.

In developing the Kampus Mengajar Program at UGM, Dr. Ngadisih revealed that UGM has a strategy to promote the MBKM program, including Kampus Mengajar, by integrating it with the KKN PPM UGM activities.

Dr. Ngadisih also expressed her hope that UGM students who have participated in Kampus Mengajar will continue to inspire more students to participate. 

She also hopes that students who have yet to be involved will be encouraged to take the initiative and be brave enough to explore their potential through this program.

Author: Lintang

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Artikel UGM Student Naila Alfaiza Teaches Elementary School Students in Kediri pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The MoU was signed by Professor Fredy Leiwakabessy, the Rector of Universitas Pattimura, and Professor Supriyadi, UGM’s Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Finance. 

The event was attended by the UGM Director of Student Affairs, Dr. Sindung Tjahyadi, the UGM Director of Community Service, Dr. Rustamaji, and the UGM Director of Partnerships and Global Relations, Professor Puji Astuti.

This MoU continues the collaboration that began in 2014. At that time, Universitas Pattimura signed a Cooperation Agreement (MoA) with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Engineering, UGM Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM), to assist in the operator training for the Academic Database and the Internal Quality Assurance System at UNPATI.

The collaboration was further expanded in 2021 with the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM) to organize certified internships for lecturers and students and with the UGM Faculty of Law (FH UGM) in 2022 to collaborate in the field of tri-dharma.

Professor Leiwakabessy expressed his hope that the collaboration will benefit both institutions, especially in developing human resources in Indonesia, particularly in the eastern region. 

“UGM, as a leading university in Indonesia and the world, is a place for us to send our teaching staff to pursue their master’s and doctoral studies. With the signing of this MoU, we hope for more intensive cooperation and for UGM to play a greater role in guiding UNPATI in tri-dharma, particularly in research collaboration, community service, and student exchange through the MBKM scheme,” said Professor Leiwakabessy.

The UNPATI Rector explained that last year, his university conducted benchmarking for the Community Service Program (KKN) management and plans to do the same in other fields. 

He hopes that the MoU will lead to more concrete and implementable cooperation, including in developing UNPATI into a PTN-BH (State University with Legal Entity status), as it is currently still a PTN-BLU (Public Service Agency State University), to improve the quality of higher education management in Eastern Indonesia. 

“This collaboration is part of UNPATI’s commitment to improving the quality of education, research, and community service,” Professor Leiwakabessy concluded.

Vice-Rector Supriyadi stated that, as the oldest state university in Indonesia, UGM has a moral responsibility to collaborate with and assist other universities by sharing the best practices from UGM. 

“But we also believe that there are good practices at Universitas Pattimura that we can implement here. Hopefully, with this cooperation, Universitas Pattimura can soon become a PTN-BH for more autonomous management,” the vice-rector said.

He added that this MoU is the initial formal step that must be followed up with a Cooperation Agreement to regulate operational activities.

Examples include the management of KKN, student exchanges through the MBKM program, visiting scholars for teaching staff, and study visits for administrative staff. 

“Although we still don’t know whether the MBKM program will continue, we believe that programs that have been running well, especially for developing students’ hard and soft skills, must be continued. In the future, UNPATI students can be sent to study at UGM and vice versa. As for the lecturers, we are open to UNPATI lecturers who want to observe the learning process at UGM, and likewise for staff who want to stay in Yogyakarta for some time to learn,” he concluded.

Author: Triya Andriyani  

Photographer: Firsto

Post-editor: Lintang

Artikel UGM and Universitas Pattimura Expand Research and Innovation Collaboration pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The Indonesia-France JWG aims to strengthen partnerships between Indonesia and France through collaborative research, exchange programs, and joint initiatives in various fields, including green economy.

Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Dean of the UGM Faculty of Geography (Geography UGM), represented UGM at the meeting. He stated that scientists and experts from both countries agreed to share knowledge on anthropogenic pressures on natural resources, the threats of climate change to biodiversity, and the sustainability of global socio-ecological systems. 

“This forum emphasizes the importance of effective land management and integrating green economy initiatives to achieve sustainable agricultural practices. The discussed research collaborations include forest rehabilitation, bioinformatics, and IoT applications in environmental management,” Dr. Hadmoko said in a statement sent to journalists on Friday (Jul. 5).

According to Dr. Hadmoko, the proposed next steps include strengthening research partnerships, student and researcher exchanges, and developing policies that support sustainable land use practices. 

The meeting was also seen as a crucial moment for supporting the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program, with the French government opening opportunities for Indonesian students to study and conduct research in France through the IISMA program.

French Ambassador to Indonesia, Fabien Penone, emphasized the importance of student exchange programs between the two countries and hopes that more Indonesian students will study at French universities. 

“This collaboration is expected to address cutting-edge educational challenges and accelerate development in both countries,” Penone said.

Additionally, exchanges and cooperation between researchers from both countries will significantly advance science and technology. 

The French Ambassador noted that such impacts are already evident, citing the ongoing collaboration between Universitas Gadjah Mada, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and CNRS, which has produced globally impactful research. 

He mentioned that in 2023, Dr. Hadmoko received the prestigious “Tremplin Award for Bilateral Research Cooperation—ASEAN” from the French Academy of Sciences, which is based in Paris.

Meanwhile, Professor Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, Acting Secretary of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia, reported that the France-Indonesia collaboration had reached a total of 261 active cooperation documents, with UGM contributing the most with 40 papers. 

“The ambassador also mentioned that one of the long-standing and strongly sustainable areas of cooperation is volcanology and disaster mitigation,” she explained.

For information, JWG 2024 also held thematic workshops covering the green economy, blue economy, culture, arts and tourism, space technology and observation, digital technology and STEM, health and medical devices, inclusivity in research, and partnerships. 

These workshops were designed to discuss ongoing collaborations, discover new opportunities, identify challenges, and share knowledge between Indonesian and French stakeholders. 

Each workshop was guided by moderators who invited participants to share experiences and provide technical input. During the sessions, conclusions and key points were compiled. Dr. Hadmoko also served as a moderator for Thematic Session I: Green Economy.

At the JWG event, UGM also set up a booth showcasing several innovative products developed by UGM researchers, including the Gamadu Seismograph and various health innovations that the Directorate of Business Development and UGM Science Techno Park has commercialized.

The Gamadu Seismometer is an innovative seismic wave measurement tool developed by the UGM Geophysics Laboratory. It has been proven to record earthquake events at various points in Indonesia. 

The health products displayed included local probiotic supplements, toothpaste, a dental silk bow, multifunctional biomedical membranes based on carbonate apatite (CHA), and other herbal medicines.

Author: Leony

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Artikel UGM Participates in Indonesia-France Joint Working Group Meeting pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.