Around 400 delegates from various universities and research institutions in Indonesia and France attended the 2024 Indonesia-France Joint Working Group (JWG) held at the Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA) campus in Surabaya on July 3-4.
The Indonesia-France JWG aims to strengthen partnerships between Indonesia and France through collaborative research, exchange programs, and joint initiatives in various fields, including green economy.
Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Dean of the UGM Faculty of Geography (Geography UGM), represented UGM at the meeting. He stated that scientists and experts from both countries agreed to share knowledge on anthropogenic pressures on natural resources, the threats of climate change to biodiversity, and the sustainability of global socio-ecological systems.
“This forum emphasizes the importance of effective land management and integrating green economy initiatives to achieve sustainable agricultural practices. The discussed research collaborations include forest rehabilitation, bioinformatics, and IoT applications in environmental management,” Dr. Hadmoko said in a statement sent to journalists on Friday (Jul. 5).
According to Dr. Hadmoko, the proposed next steps include strengthening research partnerships, student and researcher exchanges, and developing policies that support sustainable land use practices.
The meeting was also seen as a crucial moment for supporting the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program, with the French government opening opportunities for Indonesian students to study and conduct research in France through the IISMA program.
French Ambassador to Indonesia, Fabien Penone, emphasized the importance of student exchange programs between the two countries and hopes that more Indonesian students will study at French universities.
“This collaboration is expected to address cutting-edge educational challenges and accelerate development in both countries,” Penone said.
Additionally, exchanges and cooperation between researchers from both countries will significantly advance science and technology.
The French Ambassador noted that such impacts are already evident, citing the ongoing collaboration between Universitas Gadjah Mada, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and CNRS, which has produced globally impactful research.
He mentioned that in 2023, Dr. Hadmoko received the prestigious “Tremplin Award for Bilateral Research Cooperation—ASEAN” from the French Academy of Sciences, which is based in Paris.
Meanwhile, Professor Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, Acting Secretary of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia, reported that the France-Indonesia collaboration had reached a total of 261 active cooperation documents, with UGM contributing the most with 40 papers.
“The ambassador also mentioned that one of the long-standing and strongly sustainable areas of cooperation is volcanology and disaster mitigation,” she explained.
For information, JWG 2024 also held thematic workshops covering the green economy, blue economy, culture, arts and tourism, space technology and observation, digital technology and STEM, health and medical devices, inclusivity in research, and partnerships.
These workshops were designed to discuss ongoing collaborations, discover new opportunities, identify challenges, and share knowledge between Indonesian and French stakeholders.
Each workshop was guided by moderators who invited participants to share experiences and provide technical input. During the sessions, conclusions and key points were compiled. Dr. Hadmoko also served as a moderator for Thematic Session I: Green Economy.
At the JWG event, UGM also set up a booth showcasing several innovative products developed by UGM researchers, including the Gamadu Seismograph and various health innovations that the Directorate of Business Development and UGM Science Techno Park has commercialized.
The Gamadu Seismometer is an innovative seismic wave measurement tool developed by the UGM Geophysics Laboratory. It has been proven to record earthquake events at various points in Indonesia.
The health products displayed included local probiotic supplements, toothpaste, a dental silk bow, multifunctional biomedical membranes based on carbonate apatite (CHA), and other herbal medicines.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson