The National Conference and Cooperation Workshop for Vice-Rectors of State Universities Across Indonesia was officially opened by Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Dr. Fauzan, M.Pd., at Swiss-Belhotel, Ambon, on Monday, February 24, 2025. During the event, UNDIP Vice Rector IV was elected as a board member representing Jawa Tengah, Yogyakarta, and Jawa Barat.
In his opening remarks, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology emphasized the crucial role of universities in delivering tangible benefits to society. With over 4,400 universities in Indonesia, higher education institutions must actively provide solutions to real-world challenges. “Indonesia calls upon its universities to contribute—not only through journal publications but also through innovations. Each region faces unique challenges, and universities can play a key role in addressing them,” Prof. Fauzan stated.
“The issues surrounding us should serve as a critical reading to find solutions. If hundreds of universities in Indonesia collaborate with industries, the government, civil society, and the media, we can offer real, impactful solutions,” he added.
The event also saw the election of new leadership for the Vice-Rectors Forum for the 2025-2027 period. Ruslan Tawari, Vice Rector for Planning, Cooperation, and Information Systems at Universitas Pattimura (Unpatti) Ambon, was elected as the Chairman of Vice-Rectors Forum.
Additionally, seven vice-rectors from various regions were selected as board members of the Vice-Rectors Forum, including UNDIP Vice Rector IV, Wijayanto, Ph.D., who will represent Jawa Tengah, Yogyakarta, and Jawa Barat.
Wijayanto, Ph.D., emphasized that the Deputy Minister’s message reaffirms the critical role of universities, which must go beyond publishing academic research and focus on knowledge commercialization and societal impact. Universities must collaborate with industries, civil society, media, and government to generate real-world outcomes.
“I believe this Vice-Rectors Forum should be maintained as a platform for inclusive development—not just centered in Jakarta and Jawa, but also incorporating perspectives from Ambon, Maluku, and Eastern Indonesia,” Wijayanto stated.
“We hope this forum will strengthen national unity and reinforce Indonesia’s academic presence globally. Our competition is not among domestic universities but rather with universities abroad. The ultimate goal is to position Indonesia as an integral part of the global epistemic community, contributing to scientific advancements and humanity’s future,” he added.
He also noted that the Deputy Minister’s vision aligns with UNDIP’s tagline: ‘Noble and Valuable UNDIP.’ Currently, UNDIP is actively focused on developing innovations that directly benefit society.
The conference featured speakers from top Indonesian universities, who shared their best practices:
- Universitas Airlangga presented strategies for securing international and industry research funding, which was delivered by its Director of Global Connectivity.
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) shared its experience in building industry partnerships.
- Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNESA) discussed collaborations based on ministerial regulations, which have enabled them to secure multiple grants from the Ministry of Higher Education (DIKTI).
- Universitas Ciputra showcased its success in fostering student entrepreneurship.
Through this forum, more universities are expected to collaborate to drive innovations that benefit society. UNDIP, as one of Indonesia’s leading universities, remains committed to expanding partnerships and fostering impactful innovations to enhance the quality of education and research with real-world applications. (NH)
