Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) from Malaysia are committed to establishing collaboration and formulating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and its derivative, the Cooperation Agreement concerning Campus Hiring.
The MoU and cooperation agreement were signed by the Rector of UGM, Professor Ova Emilia, MD, and the Technical Director on behalf of the CEO of RSPO, Francisco Naranjo.
The collaboration between UGM and RSPO encompasses academic exchanges based on reciprocity and mutual benefit.
This includes joint lectures, conferences, seminars, and symposiums, the exchange of guest faculty to enhance institutional management benefits and efficiency, and internship programs.
Francisco Naranjo expressed gratitude for the opportunity and collaboration with Universitas Gadjah Mada. He hopes this collaboration will benefit the academic community, especially UGM students.
“With workshops, seminars, symposiums, we aim to bridge students to scientific knowledge and introduce practical work in the industrial world,” he said at UGM on Tuesday (November 7).
He added that engaging in exchanges and internship programs could nurture students’ talents, fostering a professional attitude while building awareness of the surrounding environment.
“This collaboration is to implement various programs and initiatives as a form of MoU implementation. We hope it will impact sustainable socio-economic development because the challenges in the palm oil industry require commitment,” he stated.
UGM’s Rector welcomed this collaboration. According to her, collaborating with RSPO opens up broader opportunities for students regarding internship practices, especially now with the intensified Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Program (MBKM).
This collaboration undoubtedly provides opportunities for UGM students to intern in various palm oil industries under the RSPO.
“We hope UGM students not only learn theory on campus but also learn practical aspects in industries,” she said.
On this occasion, the rector invited industries affiliated with RSPO to participate and showcase their products at the student hub of UGM, Innovation and Creativity Center (Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas/GIK) in February 2024.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Donnie