Low human resource competitive power and low skills in science and technology are still a serious issue facing the nation with regard to the ASEAN Economic Community. Increase of the competitive power is, thus, necessary to do. Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., said one effort that can be done by higher learning was to change the paradigm in terms of education. UGM can do so by doing academic reorientation from research oriented to socio-entrepreneur university.
“There has to be a change. Through the spirit of socio-entrepreneur university, we’re not only focusing on having patents, but also commersialisation of our innovative research products to be distributed to the society,” she said when being a speaker at the 9th WTA University President’s Forum in Graha Widya Bhakti, PUSPIPTEK, Serpong, on Wednesday (21/9). The event attended by world researchers shares information on the role of higher learning to support global competitiveness based on local policy.
Dwikorita mentioned that innovation centres were established to prepare UGM research products of excellence in strategic areas such as health, information technology, food, and new and renewable energy. Eventually, such products are delivered to the industry to be utilised by society.
“To reach this, UGM develops teaching industry and science-technopark. All this change is expected to boost the nation’s competitive power and independence,” she said.
Prof. Dwikorita said the need for forming networks and synergy with the industry to meet these goals. Previously, Director General for Learning and Student Affairs in the Research and Technology Ministry, Prof. Intan Ahmad, Ph.D., expected that higher learning would produce innovations that can generate national economic development. Research enhancement is required to produce products that can be utilised by society.