A cooperation between graduate programme and PUSPICS of Faculty of Geography UGM and Biophysical Remote Sensing Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, continues to flourish. Since an MoU signing between UGM and UQ in 2011, both parties have been intensely established relations starting with the visit by chairman of PUSPICS, Dr. Projo Danoedoro, to UQ in Brisbane to accept the UQ Indonesia Alumni Award in November 2011.
In October 2012, UQ sent Prof. Stuart Phinn and Dr. Chris Roelfsema to Faculty of Geography UGM to establish networking with Remote Sensing staff and explore the expertise of both parties. The event also went with a guest lecture, curicullum workshop and field research on mangrove, seagrass beds and coral reefs in Karimunjawa.
Dean of Faculty of Geografi UGM, Prof. Dr. R. Rijanta, M.Sc, said the relation between UGM and UQ is very close. From 17-20 February 2014, even Prof. Phinn dan Dr. Roelfsema wanted to revisit the Faculty to develop the cooperation. But the eruption of Mt. Kelud had forced them to depart for Jakarta instead of Yogyakarta.
"Due to the eruption on 14 February 2014, the UQ delegates had to continue their travels to Jakarta and held a discussion with the Geospatial Information agency (BIG) in Bogor to develop the tripartite cooperation between UQ-UGM-BIG," said the Dean on Tuesday (25/2).
Even so, said Rijanta, both Prof Stuart and Dr. Chris made it to attend the Remote Sensing Workshop and Guest Lecture held at the Faculty from 18-19 February 2014.
In the workshop presentations were given by newly inaugurated doctors in remote sensing. Prof. Phinn and Dr. Roelfsema were interested in the presentations.
"Both were impressed. This was a new experience to them when they gave evaluation and input to students from outside UQ. They identified the weaknesses and the strengths of the Faculty of Geography. One strength they saw was the tendency to integrate remote sensing with geographic information systems and cartography among lecturers or students of UGM, which is rare at UQ,” said Rijanta.