Townsville, 19 October 2023 – The Faculty of Biology is expanding its collaboration network at the international level by initiating research and academic collaboration with the best institutions in the world, one of which is James Cook University (JCU). Founded in 1961, JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland and offers education also research focused on development in Australia’s tropical areas. JCU also has affordable access to various world heritage sites including The Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s tropical rainforests and the savannah at Cape York, Pennisula so it is not surprising that JCU is known for its excellence in the field of Marine Biology and Tropical Biodiversity Management. JCU is ranked first in the world for Marine and Freshwater Biology and second for Biodiversity Conservation according to The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), as well as ranking in the top 100 according to the QS World Ranking for Earth and Marine Science, Environmental Science, and Hospitality and Leisure Management.
Based on JCU’s excellence in the field of Marine Science, the Faculty of Biology through Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc. as Dean and Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc. as Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration and Alumni Affairs, initiated collaboration in the academic and research fields together with the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, College of Science and Engineering JCU. The collaborative visit of the Faculty of Biology delegation to JCU was welcomed by Prof. Dean Jerry as Dean of Research, Prof. Jan Strugnell as Director of the Center for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Prof. Alana Grech as Academic Head for Earth and Environmental Science, Peter Robertson as Manager of College Operations, and was also attended by two JCU students from Indonesia, Shafira Septriani, and Adityo Setiawan.
Discussions related to Marine and Conservation Biology research and the synergy of collaboration between the Faculty of Biology and the College of Science and Engineering were held together with Prof. Mia Hoogenboom as Academic Head for Marine Biology and Aquaculture, Dr. Naomi Gardiner, Dr. Mark Cyrus, and Dr. Reniel Cabral. Discussions related to student mobility and joint degree cooperation carried out together with Kali Small as Manager of Global Experience JCU, Prof. Shaun Belward as CSE Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, Dr. Allison Paley, Prof. Mia Hoogenboom, Prof. Kyall Zenger as Discipline Head of Aquaculture, Prof. Mark Hamann as Course Coordinator for Master of Marine Biology, Dr. Martijn van de Pol as Course Coordinator for Bachelor Advanced Science.
The Faculty of Biology plans to send one IUP undergraduate student to carry out mobility at JCU’s School of Marine and Tropical Biology for one semester in 2024. JCU appreciates the initiation of collaboration from the Biology Faculty and also invites Faculty of Biology students to take part in student mobility/exchange to JCU either through IISMA and independent schemes. The School of Marine and Tropical Biology also plans to send its students to take part in the International Summer Course (ISC) in 2024 as well as sending its staff as visiting professors and keynote/invited speakers at the General Lecture, ISC in 2024, and the 9th International Conference on Biological Science (ICBS) in 2025, organized by the Faculty of Biology UGM.
The development of research collaboration will be carried out through the KONEKSI (Knowledge Partnership Platform Australia-Indonesia) research grant scheme with several universities and other research institutions in Australia and Indonesia. This development is in line with the Faculty of Biology’s commitment to increasing cooperation for international recognition in accordance with its support for the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 17, as well as improving the quality of inclusive and high-quality education (SDG 4) and competing with the world’s best institutions.
Through this visit, Prof. Budi as Dean hopes that the quantity and quality of international collaboration at the Faculty of Biology UGM will continue to increase, especially in the fields of Marine Biology and Tropical Biodiversity through collaboration with the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, College of Science and Engineering, JCU, Australia.
