Universitas Gadjah Mada and Molecular Biology Institute Eijkman, Ministry of Technology, Research and Higher Education have agreed to collaborate in education, research, and community service. The signing of the collaboration was done by Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., and Head of Eijkman Institute, Prof. Amin Soebandrio, dr., Ph.D., SpMK (K), in the UGM conference room on Friday (4/8).
Eijkman Institute holds collaboration with Faculty of Medicine UGM in vector competence research on aedes aegypti with wolbachia mosquito as arbovirus as part of programme of the Eliminate Dengue Project in Yogyakarta. Eijkman Institute also holds collaboration with Faculty of Biology UGM.
Amin Soebandrio said this collaboration was a formalisation of previous ones that had been made by researchers from UGM and Eijkman for several years.
“It’s important to provide regulations for this. Therefore, today we’re signing collaboration agreements between Eijkman and Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Biology,” he said.
Amin Soebandrio assessed the collaboration as a strategic effort due to the vast territory of Indonesia that makes it impossible to do things alone. So, all has to complement each other in terms of human or other resources. This is particularly so because Indonesia is rich in biodiversities.
“Due to the far distance of those various resources, it needs collaboration between researchers and institutions,” he said.
Rector of UGM added that to resolve state problems, we cannot do it ourselves, Therefore, this collaboration was expected to strengthen capabilities whilst forming synergies to address those problems.
“Gradually, various number of diseases as well as other problems will arise and get more complex. That’s why collaborations like this one is important to do to enhance capacities to address problems together,” he said.