In a stride towards broadening collaborative horizons, Komatsu Indonesia, a leading heavy equipment manufacturer, seeks to deepen its partnership in education and research with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).
This multifaceted collaboration encompasses human resources development initiatives, scholarship provisions, joint research endeavors, and the introduction of the heavy equipment giant to students.
The commitment to this alliance was articulated during the visit of Komatsu Indonesia’s President Director, Jamaludin, and Director, Risdhianto Budi Irawan, to the UGM campus on Wednesday (Nov. 29).
Welcoming the Komatsu delegation was the Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro; the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Professor Selo; and the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Dr. Rahmat Hidayat.
Jamaludin articulated Komatsu’s aspiration to broaden collaboration with numerous universities, emphasizing their ongoing partnership with the UGM Faculty of Engineering, Vocational College, and Faculty of Psychology since 2015.
“Our collaboration takes shape through guest lectures, scholarship programs, credit transfer, technical consultations, and student internships,” he highlighted.
Jamaludin elaborated on Komatsu Indonesia’s international footprint as a heavyweight in the heavy equipment industry, exporting bulldozers, motor graders, dump trucks, and excavators to various countries.
These heavy-duty products are manufactured and designed by Indonesians, with 46 percent comprising local components.
“Therefore, we want to acquaint the campus environment with our heavy equipment manufacturing endeavors,” he added.
Risdhianto Budi Irawan, the Director of Komatsu Indonesia, shed light on the longstanding production history of Komatsu’s heavy equipment plant, which has been operational since the 1990s.
He emphasized how India and Thailand have gleaned insights from Indonesia’s Komatsu heavy equipment plant.
“India and Thailand have learned about heavy equipment from us, which is why we maintain a training center in Indonesia,” he noted.
Professor Wening Udasmoro extended an invitation to Komatsu Indonesia to acquaint students with business insights and the intricacies of heavy equipment manufacturing technology. This exposure aims to ignite student interest in pursuing careers within heavy equipment manufacturing companies.
Professor Udasmoro also advocated for increased internship opportunities for students at Komatsu.
“We want students to comprehend and appreciate the workings of the industry early on,” she underscored.
Professor Selo envisioned a collaborative education model that facilitates Komatsu Indonesia staff to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees through a research-based scholarship program.
“For instance, a doctoral student can delve into a research topic based on their work experience,” the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering elucidated.
Dr. Rahmat Hidayat, the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, envisaged a collaborative initiative with Komatsu in the early detection of employees’ mental health, a strategic measure to enhance workplace productivity.
“We can discern whether stress originates from the workplace or home and permeates into the professional sphere,” he elucidated.
In response to these propositions, Jamaludin acknowledged the pivotal role of collaboration in enhancing Komatsu’s human resources, fostering heightened work loyalty among engineers.
“Loyalty to the organization is critical; given workplace dynamics, engineers often opt to leave or transition in the third or seventh year,” he concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto