During the celebration event of 67th anniversary of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on 19 December, Rector of UGM, Prof.Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., said UGM has to be part of science development and technology innovation as well as human resource development to realising the glory of the nation. UGM has to be part of the solutions to resolve national issues and realise a prosperous and resilient Indonesia amidst the global competition.
Dwikorita said the gap between rural and urban communities was one problem facing Indonesia. Rural poverty level constantly increased from year 2005 to 2014, leading to the widening gap between the rich and the poor. World Bank recorded the increase in gini coefficient from 0.32 in 1999 to 0.41 in 2012. These have prompted UGM to strengthen innovation in human resource, sccience and technology.
“UGM is committed to upholding humanitarian values and improving the state welfare by encouragingn innovation and leading development and productivity of the rural people through ‘Smart and Resilient Village programme,” said Prof.Dwikorita when submitting the Rector’s Annual Report during the anniversary celebration on Monday (19/12) in Grha Sabha Pramana hall at UGM.
“Since its establishment, UGM already promoted that the Indonesian development had to start from the rural areas. To meet this commitment, UGM has opened wide access to the people in the rural areas as well as the most isolated, outlying and underdeveloped regions,” she explained.
One policy issued by UGM is to make academic reorientation beginning since 2014. The paradigm has been shifted from research to socio-enterpreneurial with innovation as its driving force. Centres of innovations have been established to be downstreamed to the society and industry through the Science Techno Park, Teaching Industry, and Teaching Factory.
Following the Rector’s accountability remarks, UGM medical professor, Prof.Dr.dr. Sutaryo, Sp.AK., in his scientific remarks said the low Indonesian human resource quality was still a problem affecting the nation. In 2015 human development index of 0.68 ranked Indonesia at 110th of 188 countries.
“This showed that Indonesia still needs to increase the efforts to develop its human resource so as to keep up with other more developed ASEAN countries,” he said.
In his opinion, this can be achieved by alleviating challenges to the creation of healthy Indonesia, which requires good quality of human beings. Therefore, the state needs to guarantee the health of pregnant mothers. In addition, education is the pillar to living healthy, so, the the education of teachers and mothers should be the main government priority programme.
“To realise the healthy Indonesia, reforms are needed in all health research institutions and command systems to mobilise Healthy Living Society campaign,” he concluded.
During the celebration event, UGM also launched a Digital Innovation Center, UGM-Mall, and UGM Alumni magazine.