Hasanuddin University (Unhas) has officially joined UKICIS (United Kingdom-Indonesia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Sciences), an international research consortium involving researchers from various fields of science from various universities in the UK and Indonesia. The participation of Unhas in this consortium was officially celebrated as part of the Discussion on the Provision for Stronger Research Collaboration between the UK and Indonesia held at the Century Park Hotel in Jakarta on November 7, 2022.
At this event, UNHAS was represented by Prof. Nasrum Massi, the head of the Institution for Research and Community Service (LPPM Unhas), and Sudirman Nasir, PhD, the Head of the International Research Management Division at LPPM Unhas. The British Ambassador to Indonesia (and Timor Leste), HE Owen Jenkins, the Rector of Nottingham University, and a team from this leading British university, as well as the Acting Director General of Higher Education, LPDP representatives, and British Council representatives opened the event and became speakers in this discussion and workshop.
This discussion covered the potential and follow-up of strengthening research cooperation, especially in priority areas such as climate change, biodiversity, energy transformation, health, digital transformation, and resilience. Warwick University and Coventry University, both of which are well-known UK universities, are also part of the consortium. Indonesian universities involved include IPB, ITB, Gadjah Mada University, the University of Indonesia, Airlangga University, and UNHAS. Unhas actively involved in the discussion of the roadmap for strengthening UKICIS and further developing research collaboration in various fields between Indonesian researchers, especially UNHAS researchers, and partners and colleagues from UK universities. Global warming, climate change, environmental degradation, pandemics, and rapid socio-economic changes, as well as the SDGs, are the background to the increasing importance of research collaboration between fields of science and between nations.
According to Prof. Nasrum, who was contacted via whatsapp (8/11), UKICIS is a forum for the association of researchers, initiated by the British government. The funds provided are $44 billion over a four-year period. “I need to say that Unhas passed one proposal from a total of 15 proposals that will be funded by UKICIS. The head of this team is Prof. Marianti,” explained Prof. Nasrum. According to Dr. Sudirman, the British Ambassador, HE Owen Jenkins, mentioned the strategic importance of Unhas and the Wallacea region and the important role of universities, especially Unhas, in research in this unique region.