The Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment of Timor-Leste collaborates with Universitas Gadjah Mada to enhance the quality of human resources of the governmental apparatus in order to enhance the quality of public services and society’s participation. It is stated in the Memorandum of Understanding of cooperation signed between UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., and Secretary of Human Capital Development Fund of Timor-Leste, Ismenio Martins da Silva, on Tuesday (6/6) at UGM main office.
UGM Rector welcomes the cooperation because it can be beneficial for the two parties in enhancing the quality of human resource of each. “I think this cooperation gives significant benefit to the two nations,” said Panut.
Panut further said this cooperation opens an opportunity for the two parties to share their experiences in enhancing the quality of public services and the governmental apparatus through various programs on education and short training. “In the future, there will be lecturers exchange between UGM and Timor Leste,” he added.
Besides cooperation in the form of short course and training, according to Panut, he hopes the part of this cooperation also opens an opportunity for Timor-Leste students to continue their study in diploma, undergraduate, and graduate programs in UGM. “Not only in education but also research,” said Panut.
Ismenio Martins da Silva, as the representative of Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment said their government hopes this cooperation can enhance the quality of human resources in Timor-Leste. Moreover, it can help the government in enhancing the quality of public services by enhancing the professionalism of the governmental apparatus. “All this while, we only gave short training and after being evaluated, it was not enough thus we decide to cooperate with UGM,” said Martin.
Martin said his party will cooperate with several faculties in UGM, but in the meantime, they are building cooperation with Faculty of Veterinary Sciences. “We need around 32 prospective veterinarians. As many as 10 people have been sent to Universitas Udayana in Bali and 10 or 20 people will be sent here,” he added.
Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. drh. Siti Isrina Oktavia Salasia, said her party will follow up this cooperation. Besides conducting cooperation on academics, according to Isrina, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences UGM invites the Timor-Leste government to play an active role in encouraging the policy, namely One Health, in order to anticipate the spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans. “The Timor-Leste government can participate in the One Health program as a global issue to anticipate the spread of infectious diseases from animals to human,” said Isrina.