Around one hundred professors from 30 Indonesian universities have declared the establishment of the Forum of Indonesian Professors as the media for synergising strategic thoughts and ideas to support state development and progress. The Forum is committed in sustaining moral integrity and ethics of academic community, developing nationality among academic community and the wider public , as well as developing higher learning’s mission ideas.
“We will respond and be active in resolving strategic national and international problems,” said Chair of UGM Board of Professors, Prof. Dr. Ir. Putu Sudira, M.Sc., when reading out the points in the declaration in the Balairung courtyard on Friday (4/8).
To the journalists, Prof Putu Sudira said the reasons for the professors to set up this forum was that they be more actively deliver thoughts and ideas to resolve various state problems. “We want all professors to be more actively resolving state problems through their respective ideas and thoughts,” he said.
Two teams of working groups have been set up afterwards to discuss issues based on the expertise of each professor. “We will establish clusters of expertise, for instance in food areas such as on salt, rice, or energy,” said Putu Sudira.
According to Putu, their ideas would be submitted to the government as the policy makers so they can address issues better. Beside food areas, ideology strengthening issue has become an urgent topic to be discussed together by the government and the higher education. “The ideology of Pancasila needs to be sustained,” he said.
Going forward, the Forum will hold periodical meetings, collaborating with other universities. One of the professors from Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Prof. Trisno Martono, said along with his colleagues, he would be committed in supporting the Forum in order that it can make contributions to solving state problems.
“The goal is noble if we are to think about the problems facing the nation. I think there are many contributions to be made by the professors at higher education for the state,” he said.