UNDIP, Semarang (April 9) – The “Senayan Cares for Jawa Tengah” Forum, held on Tuesday (April 9) at the Gradhika Bhakti Praja Building, Jawa Tengah Governor’s Office Complex, served as a strategic platform for strengthening synergy between the Jawa Tengah Provincial Government and national legislators representing Jawa Tengah constituencies. A total of 77 members of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) and 4 members of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) attended this inaugural forum to support Jawa Tengah’s sustainable development programs.
In this forum, the Rector of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si., served as the moderator. “This forum is an extraordinary initiative that demonstrates the importance of communication and joint institutional efforts to build a better Jawa Tengah,” said Prof. Suharnomo during the event.
The “Senayan Cares for Jawa Tengah” Forum is more than just a discussion space—it marks a milestone in establishing a formal communication mechanism between national-level legislators and regional executive leaders.
Governor Ahmad Luthfi emphasized the importance of inter-institutional collaboration for the continuity of Jawa Tengah’s development beyond 2025. The provincial government recognizes that successful development cannot be achieved alone but requires the active support and involvement of various stakeholders, including central government representatives.
The principle of ‘ngopeni lan ngelakoni’ —to care for and to carry out—was introduced as the philosophical foundation of development, underscoring the importance of sustainable collaboration for the welfare of the Jawa Tengah community.
The Role of Academics in Bridging Collaboration
As moderator, Prof. Suharnomo played several strategic roles: sparking discussions, providing academic context for the forum’s importance, and, most crucially—facilitating a shared commitment among DPR and DPD members to support the Provincial Government’s priority programs.
Prof. Suharnomo also highlighted that this forum continues previous collaborative initiatives, such as the Forum Berlian with party leaders and the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of Jawa Tengah, as well as a meeting between the Governor and 44 university leaders, which resulted in 30 collaborative programs for 2025–2029.
“Moments like this are crucial to maintaining a collaborative ecosystem. When academics, legislators, and the executive branch can sit together, policy direction becomes more solid and rooted in the public interest. If we share a common vision, then every step becomes meaningful. UNDIP fully supports this spirit. We believe that when Jawa Tengah advances, the universities within it will also grow and contribute more broadly,” said Prof. Suharnomo.
Through this forum, DPR and DPD members were given a platform to convey suggestions, commitments, and aspirations in support of the region’s priority programs. The expectation is that the discussion yields not only ideas but also concrete actions that positively impact society.
Aligned with “Noble and Valuable UNDIP”
UNDIP’s involvement in this strategic forum reflects the active role of higher education institutions in regional development. Upholding the tagline “Noble and Valuable UNDIP,” the university continues to affirm its position as a strategic partner for both government and society.
UNDIP has previously partnered with the Jawa Tengah Provincial Government to provide a desalination unit at the Rusunawa Slamaran in Pekalongan City on March 25, 2025. This program is part of an effort to provide clean water access to coastal communities that have long struggled to obtain potable water.
The desalination unit in Pekalongan has a production capacity of up to 6,000 liters per day, aimed at meeting the drinking water needs of 250 families living in the Rusunawa Slamaran. This technological innovation by UNDIP is planned to be implemented at 20 coastal locations across Jawa Tengah and has already attracted interest from four other provinces in Indonesia.
The seawater desalination technology, developed by Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Widiasa, S.T., M.T. from UNDIP’s Faculty of Engineering, is already being used by residents of Teluk Awur Jepara, near the UNDIP Jepara campus, in collaboration with the Jepara Regency Government. Officially inaugurated by the UNDIP Rector on May 14, 2024, this system is now capable of producing up to 200,000 liters of clean water per day, distributed free of charge to the coastal community of Jepara.
With these various initiatives from the Central Java Provincial Government, the spirit of noble and valuable continues to be expressed. UNDIP remains present with real solutions to drive Jawa Tengah’s progress and inclusive development. (NH)
