The Ministry of Research and Technology / National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) supports the acceleration of handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by forming the COVID-19 Research and Innovation Consortium.
UGM is one of the university institutions involved in organizing research, development, study, and application activities to produce inventions and innovations in specified fields.
A number of UGM research teams have proposed research activity proposals and obtained funds for the Covid-19 Phase 1 Research and Innovation Consortium.
"Big thanks for the Chancellor and Research Director of UGM who have been able to mobilize researchers. In a short time, there might be many researchers who can be involved," said Chairman of the Covid-19 Research and Innovation Consortium, Prof. dr. Ali Gufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D.
The consortium consists of Government, Higher Education, Private to Industrial Research Institutions, which are directed to produce innovations that answer the needs of the Indonesian people to fight COVID-19 in the form of products and studies.
The Decree for Proposal Determination of Activities recommended for funding the consortium was handed over directly by Ali to the UGM Chancellor, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M. Eng., D. Eng., IPU., ASEAN Eng., On Thursday (4/6) at the UGM Hall.
UGM passed as many as 21 research and innovation titles from various disciplines that suffice the administrative and substance requirements for funding. The focus of research activities is on the invention and innovation in five areas: prevention, detection and screening, medical devices and support, therapy, and social humanities.
The proposal for this activity itself opened to consortium members from March 17 to April 15.
This innovation has at least three values, which can provide appropriate technology, other benefits, and substitute imported products. "Ladies and gentlemen, the researchers will bring remarkable changes. Our import needs, it now can be produced independently," he explained.
Ali revealed that UGM already had a variety of research products related to supporting potential facilities for handling Covid-19 to be developed. One of the efforts made was to produce a ventilator called the most sophisticated than has ever been produced in Indonesia. However, the product still needs to go through a testing process.
He hopes that researchers who have received SK can continue to be committed and be active in developing research and innovations that could serve the community.
On the same occasion, the UGM Chancellor encouraged UGM researchers to find research ideas that were useful and able to answer problems in the community due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides, hopefully, the cooperation between each researcher and institution will be well-coordinated to plan a solution that is solid and beneficial.
"There must be proper and complete planning. We can do this when there is consolidation," said the Chancellor.
Author: Gloria
Photo: Firsto
Translator: Natasa A