The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) has collaborated with the Regional Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda) of the West Papua Provincial Government regarding the implementation of postgraduate master’s (S2) and doctoral (S3) education programs in 2021.

The Head of the West Papua Research and Development Agency, Prof. Dr. Charlie D.Heatubun, S.Hut, M.Si, FLS and the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, UI, Dede Djuhana, Ph.D., have directly signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Implementation of Cooperation (PKS) with the numbers 001/PKS/FMIPA/UI/2022 and 001/PKS/Balitbangda-PB/1/2022 on Friday (7/1/2022) at the Dean’s Building of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, UI, Depok.

Dede Djuhana, Ph. D. said, “With this collaboration, FMIPA UI, as one of the leading science faculties in Indonesia, is contributing and committed to improving the human resource capacity of the West Papua Province Research and Development Agency through formal education in the field of science.”

Prof. Dr. Charlie D.Heatubun, S.Hut, M.Si, FLS hopes that this collaboration will make it easier for civil servants from the West Papua Provincial Government to take Masters and Doctoral programs at FMIPA UI through a special route.

“The West Papua Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda) will accelerate human resource capacity building through master’s and doctoral programs, particularly research-based programs. And of course, research and innovation programs related to sustainable development,” said Prof. Charlie Heatubun.

Furthermore, he said, this Cooperation Agreement is also in the context of encouraging the implementation of sustainable development goals in West Papua, and is also part of the split master’s scholarship program with the Australian Government, in which the West Papua Research and Development Agency has succeeded in obtaining a quota for five (5) candidates.

The scope of the cooperation implementation agreement is to improve the competence and academic capabilities of the human resources of the West Papua Province Research and Development Agency through postgraduate and doctoral education programs at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, covering the fields of biology, geography, physics, chemistry, marine science, materials science, geoscience, medical physics, and mathematics (data science).

The signing ceremony was also witnessed by the Vice Deans of FMIPA UI, namely the Vice Dean for Education, Research, and Student Affairs Dr. rer. nat. Budiawan, and the Vice Dean for Resources, Ventures, and General Administration Dr. Tito Latif Indra, M.Si.

This breakthrough in early 2022 by the Head of the West Papua Regional Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda) signals to all civil servants within the West Papua Provincial Government to prepare themselves well. This special pathway can be utilized to improve their own capacity and also contribute through research and innovation to sustainable development in Papua.