Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has established a strategic partnership with Paragon Corp to introduce CollabHub by Paragon Corp at the UGM Innovation and Creativity Hub (GIK UGM) complex, a shared collaboration space and safe environment designed to support various productive activities for the entire academic community.
The presence of this space is part of UGM’s efforts to provide an inclusive environment. The collaboration is further strengthened by the establishment of an endowment fund of Rp25 billion from Paragon Corp to UGM, as a sustained form of support for the development of innovation, creativity, and student activity ecosystems on campus.
UGM Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, expressed appreciation to Paragon Corp for establishing CollabHub as a form of support for human resource development in Indonesia. She hopes the space will serve as a “social laboratory” and a lifelong learning venue in generating creative and innovative ideas.
“We hope this becomes a productive collaborative space that will give rise to creative, innovative ideas and various positive initiatives that benefit students, the education sector, and the wider community,” said Rector Emilia during the inauguration of CollabHub and the signing of the MoU with Paragon Corp at GIK UGM on Wednesday (Feb. 11).
Salman Subakat, CEO of the Nurhayati Subakat Entrepreneurship Institute (NSEI), emphasized the importance of collaboration between education and industry in developing innovations with a broad impact.
The presence of CollabHub is not merely about providing a physical space; he hopes it will become a meeting point for students, lecturers, and various stakeholders to learn from one another, innovate, and generate ideas that have an impact on society.
“This room may look beautiful, but it will be even more meaningful with active interaction from all of you. Hopefully, it becomes an inspiring place and a symbol that reminds us of what we are striving for together,” he said.
The President Director of GIK UGM, Dr. Alfatika Aunuriella Dini, expressed her emotions and pride over the launch of CollabHub as a collaborative space that had, in fact, been planned the previous year. She stated that this initiative reflects the university’s commitment to providing better facilities for students.
“The presence of CollabHub marks an initial step in enhancing campus facilities through Paragon Corp’s support, starting from the provision of technological equipment to the development of collaborative spaces,” she explained.
Arif Maulana, Chair of the UGM Communication Forum, conveyed his appreciation for the establishment of CollabHub at GIK UGM, which is expected to become a space for collaboration and positive student activities. Beyond serving as a collaboration space, he hopes the facility will also function as a venue for student gatherings, idea exchange, and broader interaction across student activity units (UKM).
“This will certainly benefit student activities that still face limited space. With CollabHub, we are pleased to have more public spaces to utilize. At the very least, it addresses students’ needs,” he remarked.
The inauguration ceremony of CollabHub and the signing of the MoU with Paragon Corp concluded with a ribbon-cutting by Rector Emilia, together with Salman Subakat. The ribbon-cutting marked the official opening of the CollabHub by Paragon Corp facility at GIK UGM.
Following the ceremony, students were invited to enter and tour CollabHub to explore its facilities and collaborative spaces, while learning about its functions and potential utilization as a hub for interaction, creativity, and student activity development.
Author: Cyntia Noviana
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Ika Agustine