Gent, Belgium (May 20, 2025) – Amid growing global challenges in food security and climate crisis, Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), KU Leuven, and nine partner universities from Indonesia and Europe signed a significant agreement under the Erasmus+ FIND4S program (Enhancing Higher Education Capacity for Sustainable Data-Driven Food Systems in Indonesia). The signing ceremony took place at KU Leuven/BioTeC+, Campus Ghent, Belgium, on May 20, 2025, marking the beginning of a cross- continental collaboration focused on sustainable, data-driven food systems.
This historic moment was witnessed by Indonesia’s Ambassador to Belgium, Dr. Andri Hadi, who also signed the agreement as a symbol of full support from the Indonesian government. Indonesia’s Agricultural Attaché, Dr. Winarti Halim, also attended, emphasizing the critical role of food diplomacy in both national and global development.
The FIND4S program aims to strengthen higher education capacity in Indonesia to address future food challenges through data-driven and sustainability-based approaches. UNDIP’s Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences (Fakultas Peternakan dan Pertanian / FPP), has been appointed as the national coordinator, leading six Indonesian universities in the consortium: Universitas Semarang, Universitas Nasional Karangturi, Universitas Tidar, Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Semarang, and Universitas PGRI Semarang.
On the European side, KU Leuven leads the collaboration alongside Hochschule Anhalt (Germany), University College Dublin (Ireland), and Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal).
Dr. Yoga Pratama, a lecturer and researcher from UNDIP who also heads the delegation, is currently attending a workshop titled Digital Technology in Food Processing at KU Leuven. The event is part of a broader initiative to strengthen institutional capacity and promote knowledge exchange for building sustainable food systems in Indonesia.
“This is more than just a collaboration between universities. It’s a concrete effort to provide food system solutions grounded in research, technology, and a shared concern for the future,” said Dr. Yoga.
He added, “With this agreement, we hope to foster long-term collaboration in curriculum development, academic exchange, and innovative research that contributes meaningfully to sustainable food systems in Indonesia and the wider region. Moving forward, this consortium aims to strengthen a higher education ecosystem capable of producing top-tier human resources equipped to navigate digital transformation and global food sustainability challenges.”
Further information about the program is available at https://find4s.org and on Instagram @find4s.
Through this strategic initiative, UNDIP not only strengthens its standing in the global higher education landscape but also affirms its role as a pioneer in transforming sustainable food systems in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. (Public Communications / UNDIP-FPP / ed. Nurul)
