UGM and Ehime University agreed to establish cooperation in education, research and community service. The MoU of cooperation was signed by UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng., Ph.D, and Ehime University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hayashi Kazuo, at the leadership conference room on Tuesday (15/3). Also witnessed the occasion the Director of the Asian-African Research Center Ehime University, Prof.Osozawa Katsuya, Executive Secretary, Drs. Djoko Moerdiyanto, M.A, Head of the International Affairs Office, Dr. Eng. Rachmat A Sriwijaya S.T, M.T, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology Dr. Ir. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, M. Agr, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochammad Na’iem, M.Agr.Sc, and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Ir. Triwibowo Yuwono, Ph.D.
Some of the collaborative program that will be implemented in the cooperation, among others, the student exchange in the form of implementation of master degree program and Community Empowerment Field Practice Program (KKN). One of the activities carried out immediately is the student exchange program between the two universities.
Prof.Hayashi said that for the joint master degree programs some funds are now available for UGM students who will participate in the program in Japan. Meanwhile, to implement the International KKN program, Japan prepares some students to join this.
"Besides the exchange of students and the KKN, this partnership is also intended to build international education and research partnerships in the field of sustainable agriculture in the tropics, sustainable development in the tropics," said Hayashi.
UGM Rector expressed his delight and welcomed this cooperation. The cooperation with the Ehime University certainly will accelerate the progress of UGM and vice versa. "We believe both Universities will be reinforcing each other, because both UGM and the Ehime certainly have a special experience. From these experiences, both are expected to gain new valuable experiences," he said.
The Rector hoped that many kinds of research will appear that can ease human life. "Shortly after the earthquake occurred near Sendai, the earth’s axis shifted by 2.4 meters. This made the climate change more drastically; this change would affect the life of plants, animals and humans. Therefore we need to conduct new researchs that could be analyzed together," he said.
Dr. Ir. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, M. Agr, after signing the MoU explained that the UGM cooperation with Ehime actually had been running since few years ago. Currently, the cooperation in education and KKN involve six universities including University of Hasanuddin in Makassar and Bogor Agricultural University, while in Japan Kagama University and Kochi University.
"This cooperation has been running for a long time. Through both rectors this cooperation had been expanded to a Consortium of six universities called Suiji. This program was initiated by GEN (Gadjah Mada, Ehime Network) which was originally pioneered by Faculty of Agricultural Technology at UGM and Ehime respectively," Djagal added.