Hashim Djojohadikusumo Dukung Pengembangan SDM untuk Melestarikan Budaya Jawa
Hashim Djojohadikusumo Dukung Pengembangan SDM untuk Melestarikan Budaya Jawa
Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation (YAD) signed a cooperation agreement in the development of human resources and the preservation of Javanese culture. The support is presented in the form of scholarships for students and lecturers. It was noted in the cooperation agreement by UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., with the Chairman of YAD, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Wednesday (18/4), in the auditorium of R. Soegondo, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM.
Dean of FIB UGM, Dr. Wening Udasmoro, said to the journalists that through this cooperation YAD would provide scholarships for undergraduate and master students in Javanese literature. According to the Dean, YAD is concerned about the declining interest of prospective students for Javanese study. "There are very few students interested in learning Javanese language.”
If the students of Javanese Study Program have the opportunity to earn scholarships, the lecturers will also have the opportunity to continue doctoral program abroad, "The lecturers are given scholarships for further education, including tuition fee and field research grants," he said.
Moreover, Wening continued, Hashim's family foundation also provided additional honorarium for retired professors who had greatly contributed in the development of education at FIB UGM and additional incentives for honorary lecturers. "Salary is given to honorary lecturers and retired professors of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences.”
Cooperation with YAD has been going on since 11 years ago through the aid in building learning facilities. The next cooperation aims to encourage the lecturers to earn professorship. "There is professions program and now FIB demands for new professors," he added.
Hashim said that for this cooperation, his party provided financial support up to tens of billions. The support was given in the field of cultural development as a contribution of YAD to preserve the Javanese culture. "We are preparing tens of billions to follow up this cooperation.”
The reason for YAD to pay attention to the cultural sector, Hashim said, is closely related to his interest in studying archeology, history and culture. "I have always been interested in archeology, history and culture," said Prabowo Subianto's brother who has been a businessman since 40 years ago.
Hashim added that he had channeled his interest in archeology by contributing in the paleoanthropology international seminars with Prof. T. Jacob in 2007. “Under the direction of Prof. T. Jacob, we sponsored a paleoanthropology seminar attended by 55 experts from 55 foreign countries,” he recalled. According to Hashim, the seminar discussed about “the hobbits” found on the island of Flores.
In addition to the cooperation, Hashim also delivered a public lecture titled Pluralism and Nation Character Building in front of hundreds of students. In the public lecture, Hashim said that Indonesian people were very fortunate to have Pancasila as a unifier of the nation. “We Indonesians are gifted with Pancasila so that we can unite and remain intact as a nation," he said.
According to him, the founders of the nation created Pancasila as a unifier and agreed to choose Indonesian language as the national language. He commented that the breakup of Soviet Union and Yugoslavia was because the countries did not have a unifier. “Religion is not the cause of national conflicts, but culture and language are.” (Public Relations UGM/Gusti Grehenson; photo by: Bani)