Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the Government of West Sulawesi Province have agreed to collaborate to strengthen human resource quality and optimize regional potential. The agreement was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding by UGM Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, and West Sulawesi Governor, Dr. Suhardi Duka, at the Governor’s Official Residence in Mamuju on Saturday (Jan. 17).
Governor of West Sulawesi, Dr. Suhardi Duka, described the signing of the cooperation agreement with UGM as a historic moment that will reshape educational opportunities for the younger generation in West Sulawesi.
While acknowledging the province’s considerable potential in agriculture, fisheries, and plantations, he noted that West Sulawesi continues to face major challenges due to lagging human resource quality.
“Tonight, we have signed an MoU with Universitas Gadjah Mada. This means that the opportunities for children of West Sulawesi to pursue higher education at Universitas Gadjah Mada are significantly expanded. This is certainly historic, because through this cooperation we want to make human resource development a top priority so that West Sulawesi does not fall behind other regions in Indonesia,” he said.
As governor, Dr. Duka explained that West Sulawesi’s current economic structure remains heavily dependent on agriculture, fisheries, and plantations.
Although the province also has significant potential in the mining sector as a strategic commodity, the Provincial Government of West Sulawesi has chosen to continue positioning agriculture as the foundation of development.
“We view environmental mitigation as a key consideration in economic policy,” he explained.
As a concrete commitment to human resource development, Dr. Duka immediately responded to the agreement by offering a special scheme that allows top graduates from dozens of senior high schools in West Sulawesi to send selected students to UGM through an affirmative pathway, fully supported by provincial government scholarships.
With this scheme, Dr. Duka is confident that within the next five years, human resources in West Sulawesi will become far more competitive at the national level.
UGM Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, expressed her appreciation for the trust shown by the Government of West Sulawesi Province and shared her admiration for the natural beauty and atmosphere of Mamuju since her arrival at the airport.
For her, strategic partnerships between universities and regional governments are imperative amid increasingly complex development challenges.
“As we advance, collaboration is a necessity, and collaboration exists because of mutual trust. Universitas Gadjah Mada, the oldest university established after Indonesia’s independence, carries the responsibility of serving as a national educational pillar, educating the nation across the archipelago, including in West Sulawesi. Through this cooperation, we are ready to assist in formulating a roadmap for human resource development, particularly in the agricultural sector, affirmative programs, and the application of environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural technology innovations,” said Professor Emilia.
She further explained that over the past several years, UGM has been present in West Sulawesi through the deployment of students in the Community Service Program (KKN-PPM UGM), placed in various areas across the province, including island regions.
“This program is a flagship initiative that not only strengthens academic capacity but also builds students’ character, empathy, and integrity through direct learning within communities,” she explained.
She went on to note that UGM has developed special selection mechanisms for prospective students from underrepresented regions that differ from national admission pathways and independent entrance examinations.
Through cooperation with the Government of West Sulawesi, the rector said, both parties agreed to focus on directing various priority sectors, ranging from human resource planning, higher education, and applied research to innovation development that communities and local governments can directly utilize.
The signing ceremony was attended by UGM leadership, representatives of the central and regional boards of the Universitas Gadjah Mada Alumni Family (KAGAMA), UGM alumni in West Sulawesi, and leaders of Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) of the West Sulawesi Provincial Government.
The scope of cooperation includes enhancing and developing human resource competencies, strengthening economic growth based on local potential, promoting transparent governance, infrastructure development, and preserving culture and local wisdom in West Sulawesi Province.
The partnership also opens wider opportunities for sons and daughters of West Sulawesi to pursue higher education at UGM through various schemes, including affirmative pathways.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya