As many as 60 U.S. and Indonesian researchers joining the US-Indonesia Partnership Program (USIPP) have gathered at UGM to explore and design joint researches in a workshop that last from 16-18 June.
The participating universities are UGM, UI, IPB, ITB,Universitas Airlangga, and ISI Yogyakarta, Chatham University, Lehigh University, Miami Dade College, Northern Illinois University, University of Michigan, and University of Washington.
Member of the Steering Committee of the workshop, Dr. Ahmad Agus Setiawan, said this was their first workshop aimed at increasing research collaborations that are focused on eco-art, biodiversity and marine biology, energy, food, water, and health, cross-cultural understanding and international relations, as well as disaster risk management.
“The theme of the research is sustainable development and building resilient society. These will be categorised into five sub-themes,” said the lecturer in Physics Engineering on Monday (16/6) in a press conference at MM UGM.
Agus revealed the researchers would discuss research collaboration opportunities.
Meanwhile, Vice President for International Affairs of Lehigh University, Dr. Mohamed S.El-Aasser, said, “The research is based on reciprocal principles that are complementing each other,” he said.
Dr. El-Aasser further said the workshop is a follow-up to the people–to-people diplomacy agreed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Barack Obama back in 2010.
The twelve universities joining the USIPP have agreed on education collaborations, including summer program which already has 28 alumni from both countries.