Prof. Jatna Supriatna, Ph.D., Professor of Conservation Biology and Director of the Institute for Sustainable Earth and Resources (ISER) at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI), has once again received international recognition. He was notified of the award via a letter sent by Prof. Wim van den Doel, Dean of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus (LDE) Universities Alliance, on September 27, 2023.

This time, he received the 2023 Bosscha Medal from the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus (LDE) alliance council formed by Prof. Marleen Dekker (Leiden University), Prof. Jurian Edelenbos (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Prof. Merle de Kreuk (TU Delft), for his extraordinary contributions in the fields of scientific research, education and international collaboration to promote nature conservation and environmental sustainability.

Prof. Jatna received a symbolic award on Monday (23/10/2023) at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, South Tangerang, in an international scientific conference, namely the BRIN-LDE Academy 2023, themed “The Smart Sustainable, and Health City in Indonesia” organized by the Social Sciences and Public Relations Research Organization, National Research and Innovation Agency (OR IPSH BRIN). The award was presented

“I have been involved in conservation biology for 40 years, and throughout that journey, I am grateful that my efforts and struggles have been seen and felt by the Indonesian people and the world. I have received many national and international awards. I believe these previous achievements were the basis for this award,” Prof. Jatna told the Public Relations team of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia.

The environmental activist believes that the main problem in the development of conservation biology in Indonesia is the minimal involvement of academics in determining strategic government development decisions.

He also expressed his concerns in his professorship inauguration speech entitled “The Role of Conservation Biology in Supporting Sustainable Development” in March 2017, at the UI Campus, Depok.

“Environmental conservation carried out based on a scientific approach will reduce unnecessary errors in the implementation process, even though it is relatively more expensive,” he added.

The LDE University Alliance awards the Bosscha Medal to scientists and scholars who have made outstanding contributions to international cooperation in research and education between the Netherlands and Southern countries.

The LDE Alliance Board believes that Prof. Jatna has consistently provided a valuable example of how to combine scientific excellence and teaching for critical social impact. Thanks to his dedication, nature conservation and the impacts of climate change and land use on it have been on Indonesia’s political agenda for decades, and significant impacts on conservation have been achieved.

Not only that, Wim van den Doel in his notification letter emphasized that Prof. Jatna had increased attention to important issues in the field of conservation, both in the academic world and in society at large.

Prof. Jatna is also seen as a key supporter in maintaining and enhancing the relationship between Leiden University and UI through joint research and education activities, including the summer/winter school program. Through peer-to-peer teaching, establishing an interdisciplinary group of students and scholars, and local stakeholder exchanges, he creates a learning environment that empowers students to become agents of change, while equipping them with a deep understanding of nature conservation and environmental sustainability.

Despite retiring from his teaching career at the University of Indonesia (UI), Prof. Jatna remains active in sharing his views on the importance of environmental conservation, presenting as a keynote speaker at various seminars and public discussions on environmental issues. The Executive Director of DIPI (Indonesian Science Fund) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Conservation Foundation has also been a judge for the Indonesia Sustainable Tourism Awards (Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy) since 2018.