IPB University Trusted to Be Coordinator of SUIJI Consortium 2024

In February 2024, SUIJI Consortium celebrated its 10th Anniversary by organizing an International Seminar held in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture Japan and attended by the rectors of the six universities namely Prof Arif Satria (IPB University), Prof Ova Emilia (Universitas Gadjah Mada/UGM), Prof Jamaluddin Jompa (Universitas Hasanuddin/Unhas), Prof Hiroshige Nishina (Ehime University), Prof Katsutoshi Sakurai (Koichi University) and Prof Ueda Natsuo (Kagawa University).

The event was also attended and supported by John Tjahjanto Boestami, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Osaka. More than 100 researchers from both countries attended this hybrid event and presented various research results in the field of sustainable agriculture and conservation of biological resources in a broad sense that contributes to the global environment.

SUIJI (Six University Initiative Japan – Indonesia) is a consortium of six universities from Indonesia, namely IPB University, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Hasanuddin University (Unhas), and three universities from Japan namely Ehime University, Kochi University and Kagawa University. SUIJI’s flagship program is the “Six-University Coordinative Service Learning Program at the Rural Communities in Japan and Indonesia”. This program aims to train undergraduate students from both countries to become leaders who are close to the community, have a global mindset, contribute to the sustainability of future development by supporting rural communities that play an important role in the industry.

Prof Arif Satria, Rector of IPB University said, from 2012 to 2023, as many as 336 Indonesian undergraduate students participated in Service Learning Program (SLP) activities in Japan and 405 Japanese students participated in SLP activities in Indonesia. “It is also recorded that 108 master program students and 8 doctoral program students from both Indonesia and Japan have completed their studies through the SUIJI consortium program,” he added.

At this meeting also Prof Arif Satria was trusted to be the Coordinator of SUIJI Consortium for 2024. “IPB University will be the coordinator for various SUIJI activities such as joint research, joint Master/Doctor programs and service learning programs. IPB University, he continued, also launched two social innovation programs namely Agribusiness Techno Park (ATP) and One Village One CEO (OVOC) as models for service learning programs.

Vice Rector for Education and Student Affairs of IPB University, Prof. Deni Noviana at the SUIJI seminar said, “ATP and OVOC have proven successful so it is expected to provide an excellent model to enrich the SUIJI SLP.” He mentioned, in early March 2024, 8 Japanese students and 24 IPB University students will again participate in the SUIJI SLP which will be held in the village of Lingkar Agribusiness Techno Park (ATP) Pasir Sarongge, Cianjur. (*) (IAAS/Ard)