Researchers and academicians from universities becoming expert advisory of government’s strategic policy team are supposed to give advice to the government more optimally. The results of the study, however, often could not develop further due to various technical problems related to the government priorities and policies.
"Researchers and academicians lose to the politicians in the first ring of the RI-1; we’ve tried special tracks to provide input. In relation with technology, it is indeed the authority of the minister of Research and Technology, while academicians and researchers could give input related to strategic issues," Prof Dr Chairil Anwar, Dean of the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences said during the International Achievements Launching of the Faculty in Yogyakarta on Wednesday (20/10).
In closing the various activities for the 55th Anniversary of the Faculty, Chairil explained attention to political sector is important, but we should not forget science development in the country. Based on the progress during these 55 years, there have been many international achievements made by Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences UGM.
He conveyed that since its birth in the early 1960s, the Faculty actually already had international standing. Through the MUCIA project (RI government’s cooperation with the U.S.), lecturers were sent to various American universities.
"Our South Building (Milan), Central Library and similar buildings are the result of the project. One of the results of this project became the start-up of the reactor which later became the forerunner to the formation of Reactor in BATAN, Babarsari, Yogyakarta," the Dean said in the Ayditorium on Wednesday (20/10).
This sort of international relations continued, through the Netherlands’s NUFFIC Project in the 1970s – the product of the cooperation between the Government of Indonesia and Netherlands – that led to the assistance of experts and equipment. This project produced doctors and improved the quality of Physics and Chemistry laboratory facilities. "In this period, many of our staff were sent to France under a scholarship from the French government and produced a number of doctors," he said.
Meanwhile, cooperation was also established with Germany (especially Geophysics for Indonesian volcano research) and Austria (Mathematics and Chemistry). This cooperation which took place in early 1990 also resulted the Computational Chemistry Central of Indonesia-Austria which is the only one in Indonesia. "Similarly with the Department of Mathematics, this partnership produced several doctors and till now the relationship continues," he added.
In 1990, Chairil said, several UGM teaching staff won scholarships to study in some countries such as England, Holland, Germany, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. While in 2000 the Department of Chemistry established Dual Degree Program with TU Carolo-Wilhelmina Braunschweig, Germany. This cooperation produced S2 graduates.
In addition, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences got the ISO 9001-2000 accreditation and has been updated to ISO 9001-2008. Besides, with the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in 2009 got the AUN international accreditation (ASEAN University Network).
"The internationalization is indeed the mobility of staff and students to various regions of the world to conduct academic activities, research, publications and community service. Today we have 20 foreign students who are studying at S1 and S3 programs here. These conditions should be maintained and enhanced in the future, "he said.
On this occasion each department there had the opportunity to submit various progresses that has been achieved. Representing the Department of Physics is Dr. Ing Ari Setiawan, M. Si, Department of Chemistry: Professor. Drs. Mudasir, M. Eng, Ph.D, and Dr. Nuryono, M.S, Department of Mathematics: Dr. Danardono, M.P.H, and the Department of Computer Science and Electronics: Drs. Retantyo Wardoyo, M.Sc., Ph.D., and the Image Laboratory of Physics and event organizer: Dr. Bayu Gede Suparta.
One interesting international cooperation came from the Department of Mathematics. The interesting cooperation raised the theme of "Indonesian’s Facility, Finance and Risk Project ".
According to Danardono, this cooperation involves three parties: the Technical University of Delft in The Netherlands, UGM and ABFI Institute Perbanas. "The cooperation initiated by Dr. Gunardi and Prof. Dr. Hans Weide (TU Delft) has a long-term goal of the establishment of Center of Finance and Risk.”
Danardono said that with the Center of Finance and Risk, Department of Mathematics is expected to become the center of research in the field of finance and risk that has never existed in Indonesia. Through this cooperation, series of workshops have been ongoing and study visits are currently undertaken by six staff of Mathematics Department. "The current world economic problems are more related to predictions, it seems that the mathematical model for finance has become a trend, while the discourse of mathematics as a measuring tool for finance is still very little," he said.
Prof. Mudasir, Chairman of the Department of Chemistry stated that in order to achieve the international accomplishments, the best choice for higher education in this country is to raise the research related to natural resources or products owned by Indonesia. "Speaking of chemistry, for example, there is the same universal language. If you want to compete with developed countries and you don’t have special characteristics, you will certainly get lost," Mudasir said.
Referring to the potential benefits of research in the country, the research effort is directed to examine the clay catalyst, zeolite research that is widely available. "Research related with science materials such as zeolite that are abundant in Bayat, Klaten, Central Java and clay in Boyolali are what we focus on thoroughly," he explained.
A number of research in chemistry as related to essential oils such as volatile, telon oil and so forth are also important ingredients to raise and attract the attention of international scientists.
Nuryono, Secretary of the Department of Chemical Engineering said that some of the other studies have been owned and developed en masse by the community, such as virgin cocconut oil (VCO) that has become home industry. The result of research is a form of community service related to the utilization of palms.