The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), in collaboration with the Provincial Government of South Kalimantan (Pemprov Kalsel), held an evaluation meeting on April 9th at 14.00 WIB on the 3rd floor of the IDE FTUI Building. The meeting aimed to review the implementation and benefits of the ongoing partnership on the Study and Design of the Meratus Geopark Area in South Kalimantan.
FTUI was represented by Dr. Muhamad Sahlan, S.Si., M.Eng., Manager of Partnerships at FTUI; Dr.-Ing. Ir. Ova Candra Dewi, S.T., M.Sc., Chair of the Study and Design Team for the Meratus Geopark Area and Head of the Master’s Program in Urban and Regional Planning; as well as members of the implementation team. From the South Kalimantan Provincial Government, the meeting was attended by the Head of the Cooperation Division, Saiful Arifin, along with staff members Rahyu Widy Astuty, Heny Faridah, and Normalasari.
This meeting was part of the annual evaluation carried out by Pemprov Kalsel on various forms of strategic partnerships with external partners, in this case, Universitas Indonesia. Discussion points included activity implementation by the partnership agreement, preparation of a summary report, and completion of an evaluation questionnaire which will serve as a basis for reporting to the Inspectorate and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“We hope this collaboration does not stop at the study stage, but can also continue to the implementation phase, education, and further research that directly contributes to the development of the Meratus Geopark area,” said Dr.-Ing. Ir. Ova Candra Dewi, S.T., M.Sc., Head of the Study Team from FTUI.
Meanwhile, Saiful Arifin from Pemprov Kalsel appreciated FTUI’s contribution to this strategic study. “The academic approach provided by FTUI greatly supports us, and this will serve as a valuable reference for sustainable development of the area as well as reporting to relevant institutions,” he said.
“The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, is committed to continuously contributing to developing national strategic areas, including the Meratus Geopark, which holds tremendous potential in geology, ecology, and socio-cultural aspects. Through this collaboration, we aim not only to deliver a comprehensive scientific study, but also to offer sustainable solutions directly impacting communities and the environment,” said Prof. Dr. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., Dean of FTUI.
The follow-up action from this meeting includes the FTUI team completing the evaluation questionnaire, which Pemprov Kalsel will then compile into an official report. Both parties hope this collaboration will continue to strengthen the synergy between academia and local government for regional development, particularly in strategic areas such as the Meratus Geopark.
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Public Communications Office
Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia
