UNDIP, Semarang (December 23, 2025) – Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) and the Government of North Morowali Regency officially established a collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, encompassing education, research, and community service. The coordination meeting was held on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Rectorate Meeting Room of UNDIP.
The signing of the MoU represents a shared commitment between UNDIP and the Government of North Morowali Regency to support improvements in human resource quality and sustainable regional development. The cooperation is agreed for five years from the date of signing.
UNDIP Rector Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si., stated that this collaboration is an honor for UNDIP and reflects the trust placed in the university. He explained that, as part of UNDIP’s commitment to academic dignity and social benefit, UNDIP has been actively involved in various community service programs, including coastal flood mitigation along the northern coast of Java and the UNDIP Patriot Expedition conducted across 13 provinces and 35 regencies/cities. According to him, collaboration with local governments provides an important platform for UNDIP’s academic community to engage directly in addressing real societal issues while simultaneously encouraging sustainable scientific development.
“This is also a challenge for our lecturers to engage with the many problems faced by society. Not everything can be solved solely by the campus. But by going directly into the field, we hope that new knowledge will continue to develop. Thank you for trusting Universitas Diponegoro. Hopefully, we can address these issues as well as possible,” concluded Prof. Suharnomo.
Representing the Government of North Morowali Regency, the Regent of North Morowali, Dr. dr. Delis Julkarson Hehi, MARS, and his delegation were present. In his remarks, the Regent stated that this collaboration is a follow-up to a brief meeting during the UNDIP Expedition, which opened discussions on various UNDIP community service and research programs that have shown significant impact, particularly in waste management and technological development.
“From that brief discussion, I learned about Universitas Diponegoro and several community service and research projects that have shown significant results, especially in waste processing and other technologies. That is why, in a short time, I decided to visit here,” said the Regent of North Morowali.
He emphasized that, as an investment destination, North Morowali faces various development challenges, including industrial and domestic waste management and food security—particularly regarding poultry meat availability and logistics needs due to the growing workforce. Therefore, research-based data, scientific expertise, and technology support from UNDIP are considered crucial for formulating solutions based on proper planning and accurate data.
“These are the challenges we face, and once again, we truly need the support of Universitas Diponegoro with all its scientific expertise and technology to collaborate with North Morowali in developing this region and addressing the problems we encounter in accordance with the Tri Dharma of Higher Education,” he explained.
During the event, Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Widiasa, S.T., M.T., Head of the Jepara Campus Management Agency of UNDIP, announced the initiation of a collaboration on solar-powered desalination technology. The presentation highlighted UNDIP’s experience in developing desalination systems in the northern coastal areas of Central Java to provide clean water. It emphasized the importance of technology transfer and system adaptation tailored to regional water characteristics. This technology is considered to have strong potential for development in North Morowali as part of water resource management and sustainable development strategies.
The event continued with a discussion session led by UNDIP Vice Rector IV for Research, Innovation, Collaboration, and Public Communication, Wijayanto, S.IP., M.Si., Ph.D., who emphasized that UNDIP possesses multidisciplinary expertise not only in water resources but also in food, environmental, and other strategic sectors, opening broader opportunities for future collaboration with the government of North Morowali Regency.
As the event series concluded, the delegation of the Government of North Morowali Regency participated in a guided tour of UNDIP’s Integrated Waste Processing Facility (TPST), led by the Head of UNDIP’s Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Unit (K3L), Bina Kurniawan, S.KM., M.Kes. This activity served as an introduction to UNDIP’s research-based, community-service–oriented waste management practices. (Public Communication/UNDIP/Nabila)
