Orasi Menteri Kelautan dan Penghargaan HJA Mengisi Peringatan Hari Pendidikan Tinggi Teknik ke-72
Orasi Menteri Kelautan dan Penghargaan HJA Mengisi Peringatan Hari Pendidikan Tinggi Teknik ke-72
Faculty of Engineering UGM celebrated the 72nd Engineering Higher Education Day. This year, the celebration was held on Tuesday (20/2).
On the occasion, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti, delivered a scientific speech regarding management of maritime resources and national sovereignty.
“I am often bullied by the community although I am doing a serious and essential job. In social media, my policy is seen as a funny thing, however, it is actually serious and important,” said Susi.
Susi said the various policies implemented by Ministry of Marine and Fisheries have the main goal to maintain the national sovereignty, particularly the maritime biodiversity which is often looted by other countries.
In the past few years, Indonesian fish trade balance dropped drastically as Indonesian fish is mostly taken away by foreign ships. Most of those foreign ships did not have a license to catch fish, but they could enter our sea territories due to the lack of surveillance.
“Since 2001, I had seen many exporting companies were closed, the number of fishermen also decreased dramatically. The illegal fishing caused this decrease,” she added.
Looking at those challenges, Ministry of Marine and Fisheries determines three main pillars in conducting their programs, which are sovereignty, sustainability, and prosperity. Through a more firm regulation for illegal foreign ships, as today, the Ministry has drowned as many as 363 ships. Thus, the fish catching has increased from 6.5 million ton in 2014 to 12.5 million ton in 2018. In order to maintain this improvement, Susi invites many organisations including academicians to support the government’s programs.
“Legacy has been made by President Joko Widodo government, thus, it is our task to maintain the legacy. It requires support from academicians through research and studies. I hope UGM can become one of the lines who encourages the policy,” said Susi.
The celebration of Engineering Higher Education Day was marked by the presentation of the Herman Johannes Award (HJA) which was granted to five national figures who had played an important role in developing science and technology in Indonesia. They are Basoeki Hadimoeljono in infrastructural sector, Susi Pudjiastuti in marine sector, the late Prof. Ir. Hardjoso Prodjopangarso in watering technology sector, Prof. Dr. Soebroto, M.A. in energy sector, as well as the late Dr. Ir. Hartarto Sastrosoenarto in the industrial sector.
On this occasion, Dean of Faculty of Engineering UGM also presented a report regarding the development of Faculty of Engineering UGM, particularly related to the theme of the celebration which was Engineering Education for Sustainable Development.
“Seventy two years ago, academic-fighters moved from Bandung which had been occupied by the Allied forces. Exactly 6 months after the independence of Indonesia, under the leadership of Prof. Rooseno, College of Engineering was established in Yogyakarta on February 17, 1946,” said Dean of Faculty of Engineering UGM, Prof. Ir. Nizam, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Nizam said the College of Engineering along with Medical College in Klaten and Gadjah Mada Higher Education Hall in Yogyakarta became the embryo of UGM. Therefore, Faculty of Engineering UGM, according to Nizam, inherits and carries on an important historical mandate.
“Faculty of Engineering UGM has to always unite with the people and the nation to realize the noble ideals of independence of the Republic of Indonesia, to build the progress of sovereign, equitable, and prosperous nation,” he added.
The 72 years of journey of Faculty of Engineering in educating the citizens, according to Nizam, has brought this faculty to a position as one of the references of engineering higher education development in Indonesia. In addition, Nizam described various assets of Faculty of Engineering, particularly the human resources who have actively contributed to the development of technology sovereignty.
In the midst of innovation disruptive era, according to Nizam, Faculty of Engineering has to continue to enhance its education quality in order to prepare the best Indonesian young generation to become a humanist and professional engineer as well as an excellent and wise future leader.