The Faculty of Engineering at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FT UGM) conducted an industrial visit to the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi from Apr. 27 to 29, 2026. The visit followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Faculty of Engineering UGM and CNGR Advanced Material Co., Ltd., opening opportunities for closer collaboration between academia and industry.
Dean of FT UGM Professor Selo explained that the visit was initiated following an agreement for CNGR to assist UGM with laboratory equipment, which later led to discussions of internship opportunities for students. During the meeting, CNGR expressed its readiness to provide internship opportunities for undergraduate and master’s students, as well as scholarships for doctoral students whose research is related to CNGR’s issues.
“The students will later be involved in research and development activities at CNGR with full scholarships,” Professor Selo said in an interview on Tuesday (May 12).
Professor Selo explained that, through this internship program, students will have significant opportunities to work at nickel-processing companies under PT CNGR. This is because the company has a substantial demand for university graduates as employees.
“They will continue to require skilled workers, so students who perform well during their internships will have a strong opportunity to continue working there directly,” he explained.
The results of this visit are expected to serve as a gateway for students to gain practical industrial experience while strengthening the curriculum’s relevance to workforce needs.
“We certainly hope that graduates from the FT UGM can immediately work in fields that are needed there, making this internship program a highly valuable platform,” he said.
More than just an industrial visit, the activity became a strategic catalyst for expanding academic-industry networks, strengthening higher education diplomacy, and reinforcing FT UGM’s commitment to supporting sustainable industrial development in Indonesia.
During the visit, the leadership of FT UGM and the research team had the opportunity to tour nickel-processing plants operated by PT CNGR, including PT Zhong Tsing New Energy (ZTEN) and PT CNGR Ding Xing New Energy (CDNE). During the visit, the FT UGM research team in minerals and metallurgy, represented by UGM Chemical Engineering lecturer Professor Indra Perdana, expressed enthusiasm for the research and development processes and hoped they could serve as learning materials for teaching activities at FT UGM.
In addition, the delegation also visited PT Huayue Nickel Cobalt and various key facilities within the IMIP area, ranging from nickel processing plants to shipping logistics jetty facilities.
As previously known, FT UGM and CNGR Indonesia have opened opportunities for collaboration in research, technology development, and student internship programs. Academic and research collaboration, particularly in the fields of minerals and metallurgy, is expected to continue growing.
Professor Selo emphasized that this partnership provides an excellent opportunity for FT UGM to become directly involved in research and development activities within companies operating in the nickel industry and its downstream products.
“This collaboration is aligned with the government’s downstream nickel industry development agenda. The potential is enormous because we are directly involved in the company’s research and development activities,” he explained.
Author: Fatihah Salwa Rasyid and Rina Satriani/Public Relations of the FT UGM
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Zabrina Kumara
Photo: Documentation of the UGM Faculty of Engineering