The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Indonesia (FTUI) and the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) in Japan have established a strategic collaboration to address global challenges related to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) through innovative industry-academia-government cooperation. As part of this commitment, FTUI participated in the TUAT COI-NEXT International Workshop held at the Koganei Campus, TUAT, Tokyo, Japan at the end of November 2023.
At the TUAT COI-NEXT International Workshop 2023, FTUI was represented by Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU., the Dean of FTUI, and Dr. Muhamad Sahlan, Head of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Unit at FTUI. This year, the workshop focused on the theme “Carbon Cultivation Innovation Hub Challenging the Limits of Carbon Negativity” with the main goal of utilizing carbon cultivation results, such as biomass, for sustainable materials.
This workshop is an integral part of the COI-NEXT-TUAT program supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The collaboration aims to build an innovative technology ecosystem responsive to global challenges, in line with the development of the world community post-corona.
Dean of FTUI, Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU., stated that FTUI’s participation in the COI-NEXT International Workshop is a commitment to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, especially in the field of Carbon Cultivation-based Material and Fuel Production. The workshop serves not only as a venue for sharing and discussion but also as a platform for establishing new relationships, and collaborations, and developing innovative ideas and solutions.
“In the context of a constantly changing global landscape, building an innovation ecosystem responsive to future uncertainties and a knowledge-intensive society is key to competing on par with other countries in the world. FTUI and TUAT, through COI-NEXT, affirm their commitment to being key drivers in shaping the future of sustainable technology and science,” said Prof. Heri.
FTUI and TUAT also focus on the development of CCS technology as a strategic step in addressing the impacts of climate change. Prof. Heri explained, “We view CCS technology as a key element in mitigating carbon emissions. This workshop provides a space to discuss the latest strategies and innovations in CCS technology development to support the transition to a sustainable society.”
In this workshop, Prof. Heri presented issues related to the “Considerative Biosynthesis of Xylonic Acid and Gluconic Acid from Hydrolyzed Palm Fronds Using Gluconobacter Oxydans in a Batch Fermentation Process,” while Dr. Sahlan addressed the issue of “Enhancement of Sodium Gluconate in Neutralized Oil Palm Fronds Hydrolyzate Fermentation Broth using Low Pressure Nanofiltration.”
This collaboration is also a continuation of discussions and cooperation with several Japanese academics and professors in the activities of the Asian Federation of Biotechnology 2022 and the international conference QiR 2023 FTUI. FTUI and TUAT have been part of the collaboration consortium since last year, leveraging opportunities from the COI-NEXT program to strengthen the role of universities as centers of knowledge and human resources.
The COI-NEXT program is an industry-academia collaboration initiative, where universities and other stakeholders lead in formulating a vision for the future society, drive research and development to realize that vision, and establish independent industry-academia-government centers. The program design adopts the concept of “Research and Development driven by vision and conducted through back-casting” from the Japan Science and Technology Agency’s Center of Innovation (COI) program.
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Office of Public Communication
Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia
