Reaching 64 years old of age, Faculty of Agriculture UGM continues to improve itself. The Faculty of Agriculture continues to realize its vision to become an excellent higher education institution of agriculture and fisheries in national and global levels based on research.
To support this vision, the Faculty of Agriculture continues to build networks of educational cooperation with various parties, both within and outside the country. "Various cooperations that are initiated are a proof of other parties’ confidence to the Faculty of Agriculture UGM. This shows that we still have the confidence to participate in public education and in technical consultation and policy," said Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, UGM, Prof. Ir. Triwibowo Yuwono, Ph.D., on Monday (27/9), in a commemoration speech of the 64th Anniversary of the Faculty of Agriculture.
Cooperation has also been conducted in terms of institutional capacity and human resources development. "Currently, the faculty is working together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Indonesia, Government of Namibia, and the University of Namibia. Faculty of Agriculture was given the trust to provide training for agricultural employees of the Government of Namibia and produce rice fields for Namibia rice cultivation," said Triwibowo.
Delivered by Triwibowo, in the last two years the number of enthusiasts to enter the Faculty of Agriculture undergraduate degree program (S-1) increased. In 2009, this faculty admits 337 students and 341 studentsin 2010 . "Although it is not significant, but this is good news because it shows that the interest in agricultural science is still relatively high," he said.
Until now, the Faculty of Agriculture UGM manages 2130 student, consisting of 1555 students of the S-1, 358 students of the S-2, and 217 students of the S-3. The active educators at this time are as many as 125 people, consisting of 120 civil servants, 2 civil servant candidates, and 3 others financed by the Faculty. Of the total teaching staff, as many as 25 Professor and 39 non-professors have been equipped with lecturer certificate.
Restore the Concept
According to Triwibowo, to restore the concept of agricultural higher education into a single program of study that is supported by strengthening the activities of departments has become one alternative solution to the deprivation of agricultural scientific paradigm. With this approach, all the resources in the department can be more geared into scientific development and should not be too sharply polarized in the program of study administration activity. "The science authority would become more freely developed through research and development of more progressive concepts and paradigms," he added.
With so many courses nowadays, Triwibowo feared it would drain the energy and thought of administrators only to manage the administration but forgetting the scientific development. "I dream that one day people recognize and appreciate the Faculty of Agriculture, UGM is more for academic achievement and scientific authority rather than the availability of certain study programs here. This, of course, requires joint thought based on the spirit to move forward together, without forgetting the academic values," he explained.