Gadjah Mada University signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with four regencies and provincial governments and one university in the fields of education, research and community service, Tuesday (4/1), in the Multimedia room, UGM Central Building. The four regional governments are Riau Islands Province, Kebumen Regency Government, East Manggarai Regency Government, NTT, Paser Regency Government, East Kalimantan. Meanwhile, one other partner is Palangkaraya University.
UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng, D.Eng., IPU., ASEAN Eng., in his remarks expressed his appreciation for the regional governments for collaborating with UGM. Through this cooperation he hopes that it will encourage the progress of regional development in all fields. “By signing this memorandum of understanding, it becomes our responsibility to conduct the activities that we will hold for regional progress,” said the Chancellor.
According to the Chancellor, the implementation of the results of this collaboration is the faculty, study programs and study centers. Therefore, he asked for a detailed activity plan that could be followed up immediately.
He mentioned about the program to send students to the regions through Community Service Program activities which are expected to increase the capacity and welfare of the community. “Routine activities that we do are sending students to the regions to help increase their capacity and vice versa, the community can provide experiences for students,” he said.
The Regent of Kebumen, Yazid Mahfuds, said that this cooperation would encourage poverty alleviation programs in the Kebumen area where the population categorized as poor reached 201 thousand people or 16.28 percent of the total population of 1.3 million. “For four years we can alleviate 10,140 people from poverty. I hope this cooperation will lower the poverty rate even faster,”he said.
According to him, Kebumen has potential in agriculture and tourism. The existence of a new airport in Yogyakarta will encourage the acceleration of the people’s economy from the tourism sector. “In Kebumen there are beaches, land and mountains so that tourism will be further developed. We have Karang Bolong as a national geopark that can improve the community’s welfare,” he explained.
East Manggarai Regent, Agas Andreas, hopes that a lot of research results and studies from UGM experts will provide assistance in implementing government programs. “We are developing the economic sector, from tourism, agriculture and livestock. The results of research and technology from UGM can later be used by the people there,” he said.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was attended by the Regent of Paser Regency, Yusriansyah Syarkawi, Chancellor of Palangkaraya University, Dr. Andrie Elia. Meanwhile, the Governor of the Riau Islands Provincial Government was represented by the Head of the Riau Islands Province Development Research Planning Agency, Naharudin.
