Vice governor of DIY, Paku Alam X was laying the first stone as a sign of official constructing Field Research Center (FRC) building Vocational College of UGM in Kulon Progo Regency on Thursday (20/2). The event was attended by the Regent of Kulon Progo, Drs. H. Sutedjo, Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M. Eng., D. Eng., IPU, ASEAN Eng, Dean of the UGM Vocational School, Wikan Sakarinto, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., the community from Coordination Forum of Regional Leader and PT Housing Development and JICA Representative.
Through the Vice governor of DIY, the governor of DIY, Sri Sultan HB X, in his remarks said Field Research Center (FRC) Vocational College of UGM would become strategic partner for Regional Government of DIY and Regional Government of Kulon Progo regency in carrying out of the Aerotropolis civilization presence with prosperity and humanity characters. In the future, based on the recommended result of this research, the development is expected to be able to evolve Kulon Progo into the real Jewel of Java, an area that is always developed both physically and socially, and in one excellent vision of Jogja Istimewa-Jogja Gumregah.
"The collaboration between the Regional Government of Yogyakarta and UGM has become a tradition until this now. As an 'education source', UGM's role and participation have made many contributions," he said.
UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M. Eng., D. Eng., IPU, ASEAN Eng., Hopes that through groundbreaking Field Research Center (FRC) of UGM Vocational College, Gadjah Mada University will contribute more to the benefit and progress of the nation, especially for the Kulon Progo region. By fully operating the airport in Kulon Progo, the economy in this area will certainly be stimulated quickly.
"Many things can be done at Vocational School of UGM because the 60 percent curriculum is practice and it bridges between research products in undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate academic education to be applied or utilized directly in the community. We hope that it will be sooner accomplished," he said.
The same hope was conveyed by the Regent of Kulon Progo, Drs. H. Sutedjo. According to him, laying the first stone for the construction of the UGM Vocational School Field Research Center Building in Kulon Progo will initiate progress in the field of education, especially the creation of an educational center based on sustainable education-ecotourism. Kulon Progo Regency perfectly welcomes this kind of initiation of having an educational area.
"Hopefully this education area will improve the quality of education of Indonesia's young generation, especially in Kulon Progo Regency because the education process is an absolute necessity of a nation," he said.
According to the regent, nowadays although education is also not the only way to achieve success it still can be considered as the primary key to achieving personal or country success.
"However, with higher education, human resources will be better and be able to face the challenges of the times which are currently loaded with competition and mastery of science and technology," he said.
The Dean of the UGM Vocational School, Wikan Sakarinto, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., added that the construction of the UGM Vocational School FRC building in Kulon Progo Regency after obtaining permission to use the Paku Alam Ground. The land of Paku Alaman is expected to teach millennials about tri dharma.
"Because the vocational plays a role in downstream research, while for S1, S2 and S3 in the function of high analytical or high approach research, and we translate the S1, S2 and S3 research into a prototype that later through this building can be passed on to the community," he said.
For this building, according to Wikan, there will be at least 5 applied disciplinary research laboratories. In this three-story building, there will be a cocoa laboratory, dairy laboratories, wood pallet, medical devices and fabrication laboratories or creative laboratories.
"We hope that in this 6.5-hectare building, the community will be able to utilize the existing facilities. When submitting to JICA, we don't think about classrooms, for example, there will be quite modern tools for the Cocoa Lab and the people here can use them to cultivate cocoa, moreover, there are many cocoa farmers here," he said.
Author: Agung
Photographer: Firsto
Translator: Natasa A