Yogyakarta, May 9, 2024 – Fakultas Biologi Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) proudly announces the launch of the Biodiversity Curator Program, a groundbreaking initiative in the field of biodiversity conservation and management. Spearheaded by Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., Dean of the Faculty of Biology, this program marks a significant milestone as the first of its kind in Indonesia and Asia, and only the second globally after Cambridge University in the UK.
Indonesia is one of the largest mega-biodiversity countries in the world, with a variety of rich species of flora, fauna and microbiotics that live in terrestrial, freshwater, wetland, coastal and marine ecosystems. However, its current condition continues to experience pressure from damage and the threat of extinction. On the other hand, the status, trends and impact of anthropocentric activities cannot be measured nationally.
To overcome this problem, the Indonesian Biology Consortium (KOBI), since 2019, has initiated the preparation of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index (IBI) through the MBKM-Biological Data Curator activity which was attended by 514 students from 104 universities in order to collect and compile biodiversity data in Indonesia. “We have succeeded in collecting data on 11,137 biodiversity,” said Chairman of the Indonesian Biology Consortium (KOBI) Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono told journalists Monday (29/4) in the context of socializing the results of the Consultation Seminar on the Results of the Analysis of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index, which took place in Jakarta, last Friday (26/4).
According to Budi, the analysis of the biodiversity index is through the development of the use of biodiversity big data technology to answer the current knowledge gap regarding biodiversity data. “The use of big data is specifically to measure the status, trends and impact of development activities on biodiversity in its habitat,” said the Dean of the Faculty of Biology UGM.
According to Budi, the collection of data on 11,137 biodiversity will then be analyzed in more depth by experts and curators who are competent in their fields. With the support of strong concept and model design, as well as the right composition of expertise and knowledge in the study team, we will be able to optimize new knowledge products from the use of big data. Budi said several Biology UGM lecturers involved in KOBI contributed to data collection. Apart from that, there is a Professor in the Statistics Study Program, FMIPA UGM, Prof. Dedi Rosadi is a member of the expert team for Biodiversity Index analysis.
Budi hopes that the results of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index (IBI) assessment can become a data reference and visual guide for practitioners in the field of biodiversity as well as a proposal for planning for the government in determining policies and making decisions by looking at the status and trends of biodiversity sustainability for ecosystems and nature in Indonesia. “We want the existence of IBI to provide index calculation results that are scientifically tested and can be jointly accounted for for credible environmental and biodiversity management in Indonesia,” he hoped.
WWF Indonesia Manager and member of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index research team, Barano Siswa Sulistyawan, Ph.D., stated that the curation of biodiversity data was based on data collection from 1975 to 2023. The data obtained was then carried out by a population census, population estimation, density including data converted from camera traps, abundance index, transport per business unit, biomass, samples, and representativeness.
“All data entered is stored and updated through the Indonesia Biodiversity Database server system, then geographical corrections are made to the location of the observation results according to the published report,” he said.
However, what is no less important, according to him, is correction of all input data to validate writing according to data categorization. This Faculty of Biology UGM alumnus explained that currently he is conducting a biodiversity index in categories per class, such as the analysis carried out for the actinopterygii, aves, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates.
Author: Gusti Grehenson on ugm.id
Photo: inaturalist.org, Gordon Robertson
Translated by Faculty of Biology UGM
Yogyakarta, 2 May 2024 – Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, Faculty of Biology UGM has carried out Training in Genetics and Plant Breeding and Molecular Analysis PT. Bumitama Gunajaya Agro. This activity consisted of a lecture on Plant Breeding and Molecular Data Analysis with speakers from the Faculty of Biology UGM, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M. Agr. Sc., Dra. Tuty Arisuryanti, M.Sc., Ph.D., Adib Fakhruddin Yusuf, S.Si., M.Sc., and Dian Sartika, S.Si., M.Sc., placed at Auditorium and Genetics Laboratory and Breeding the Faculty of Biology UGM, as well as field visits to the Sawitsari Research Station, Faculty of Biology UGM and the Mutihan Hamlet field garden, Prambanan, Sleman. This activity will last for three days, from 29 April 2024 – 2 May 2024.
In order to ensure the implementation of good cooperation in accordance with applicable regulations, two lecturers at the Faculty of Biology UGM, namely Prof. Dr. Ratna Susandarini, M.Sc. and Donan Satria Yudha, S.Si., M.Sc. attend coordination meetings for the Management of Cooperation in Conservation Areas. The meeting was held at the office of the Mount Merapi National Park Office (TNG Merapi) on Friday 3 May 2024. A presentation regarding the regulations and procedures for cooperation between academics and the Conservation Area Technical Management Implementation Unit (UPT) was delivered by Drs. Toto Indraswanto, M.Sc. from the Directorate of Conservation Area Planning, Directorate General of KSDAE, Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
In the collaboration plan with TNG Merapi, the scope of work that will be carried out is in the aspect of Strengthening the Function of Conservation Areas. More specifically, the collaboration program includes Institutional Strengthening, Flora and Fauna Preservation, Ecosystem Restoration, and Community Empowerment. In terms of procedures for starting collaboration for faculties or universities with more than one UPT, in this case TNG Merapi and TNG Merbabu, the document that needs to be made is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Dean or Chancellor and the Director General of KSDAE, then followed by a Work Agreement The same will be explained in more detail in the Program Implementation Plan and Annual Activity Plan. The coordination meeting was attended by representatives from various universities including UGM, UAJY, and INTAN. Representatives from UGM consisted of the Faculty of Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Apart from governance, discussions with Merapi TNG officials also discussed priority species that need to be studied for their potential, status in nature and conservation.
It is hoped that this coordination meeting will be a good step in improving the implementation of collaboration between the Faculty of Biology UGM and the Mount Merapi National Park Office. This is in line with the Faculty of Biology’s commitment to supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the context of preserving terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15) through sustainable cooperation (SDG 17).
In order to introduce and strengthen community service cooperation with partner villages, the PkM-MBKM Team chaired by Prof. Dr. Diah Rachmawati, S.Si, M.Si. together with Hanif Fauzan Saputra, Salma Nur Majidah, Maharani Pratiwi S.A., M. Reza Hendriansah, Rima Vegi Santika, Eka Nur Oktavia, Adzkiya Aqmaliza R., and Agra Daffa Putra conducted socialization activities for the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Program in Kepuh Wetan, Wirokerten Village, Banguntapan Sub-District, Bantul Regency, DIY on Saturday, 4th of May 2024, from 15:30 to 17:00. This activity was attended by the women of the Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) Amanda.
Yogyakarta, May 1, 2024 – On Sunday, April 28, 2024, members of the alumni of the Faculty of Biology, Gadjah Mada University (Kabiogama) Solo Raya branch, gathered for a Reunion and Eid Al-Fitr Gathering event. The event, held in Solo, brought together alumni from various batches, ranging from 1980 to 2020.
The Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada achieved proud achievements at the international level following the release of the 2024 QS World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject from the world university ranking agency, QS Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). In the field of Biology through QS WUR by Subject Biological Science, the Faculty of Biology is ranked first in Indonesia and 501-550th in the world for two consecutive years (2023-2024). This position is equal to biology programs at several world-renowned universities such as Murdoch University, Australia to Okayama University and Tokyo University, Japan. These results prove Biology program of Universitas Gadjah Mada position as the best biology study program in Indonesia and is on par with similar fields of science with other world’s best universities.
The ranking carried out by QS WUR is based on five indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, citation per faculty, h-index citation, and international research network. Universitas Gadjah Mada itself places 25 fields of subject in the 2024 QS WUR by Subject, one of which is in the field of biological sciences. For the last three years, the UGM Faculty of Biology has competed fiercely on the five assessment indicators with the field of biological sciences from several other best universities in Indonesia, namely the University of Indonesia, IPB University and Airlangga University.
The UGM Faculty of Biology is in first place, especially in the academic reputation and citation per faculty indicators in the QS WUR Biological Science assessment compared to other best universities in Indonesia. This is of course supported by the reputation and contribution of the entire Faculty of Biology academic community in improving the quality and quantity of research, as well as its international programs in the field of biological sciences, such as double degree programs, student exchanges, international summer courses, research collaborations, and joint publications. In addition, the Faculty of Biology also competes fiercely in the indicators of employer reputation, h-index citation and international research network, thereby demonstrating the quality of the Faculty of Biology at national and international levels.
Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc. as Dean of the Faculty of Biology UGM admitted that achieving first place for three consecutive years was a bonus and encouragement for the academic community to improve the quality of the tridharma of higher education. He said that his faculty was committed to encouraging improvements in the quality and reputation of academics, research and collaboration. This commitment is accompanied by an annual evaluation together with the Faculty’s Senate. The Dean of the Faculty of Biology admitted that these results also showed the work efficiency of the limited number of lecturers. In total, one of the smallest faculties at UGM is supported by 70 lecturers, 57 of whom have doctoral degrees, and 10 have been appointed as Professors.
Prof. Budi also added that the increasing research collaboration and international publications in the Faculty of Biology were supported by the promotion of faculty collaboration with various prestigious universities in the world, including universities in England, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Japan and several universities in Southeast Asia. This collaboration is encouraged through Double Degree programs, some of which are with the Australian National University (ANU), Western Sydney University (WSU), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Another program is student exchange which so far has collaborated with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Malaysia, Yamagata University Japan, James Cook University Australia, and Ankara University Turkey.
The increase in collaboration that continues to be carried out by the Faculty of Biology is also supported by the Faculty’s plan budget allocation of 10-15 percent. The funding allocation will also continue to be increased in line with the plan to open the Biodiversity Curator Professional Study Program (PKKH) in mid-2024, and has collaborated with several universities in the world such as Leiden University of the Netherlands, Leipzig University Germany, ANU-Australia, Cairo University, Egypt, and Pukyong University-South Korea in the field of Biodiversity Curator Profession in Indonesia.
Prof. Budi added that the Faculty of Biology is working to improve facilities and infrastructure for research and the downstreaming of research innovation, and support collaborative research collaboration and international publications. The Dean of the Faculty of Biology also expressed his hope that the Faculty of Biology could achieved top 200 world ranking.
Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc. as Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration and Alumni Affairs of the Faculty of Biology UGM, said that the faculty will continue to increase its recognition on the world stage through research collaborations and impactful publications, as well as expanding collaboration networks on the international level. This commitment is expected to provide color for the development of biological sciences in Indonesia in accordance with the Faculty of Biology’s support for sustainable development goals (SDGs) and contribute to increasing inclusive education through expanding international standard collaboration (SDG 4 and 17).
Yogyakarta, April 6 2024 – Faculty of Biology Universitas Gadjah Mada is expanding their network in international collaboration and recognition through the initiation of collaboration with Durham University, especially the Faculty of Science. Together with the Faculty of Geography and the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, collaborative discussions took place online and were attended by Prof. Olive Roberts as Executive Dean Faculty of Science, Prof. Jun Jie Wu as Deputy Executive Dean Faculty of Science as well as several other colleagues from Durham University.
Based on the results of the Faculty Level Achievement Student Selection (Pilmapres) at Universitas Gadjah Mada which was held on 19 March 2024 and taking into account the results of the meeting to determine the winner by the university jury team and the faculty jury team, the Director of Student Affairs appointed Eva Yuniar Reza Permana Putri (Biology 2021) as the winner of the 2024 Faculty-Level Pilmapres at Universitas Gadjah Mada. The Pilmapres was held from 29 February – 8 March 2024 as an initial stage of selection, namely registration and collection of committee files. These files include Outstanding Achievements (CU) which contain participant achievements, Creative Idea Papers (GK) for undergraduate category participants with the theme “Sustainable Development Goals” according to the participants’ fields of study, and English Language Certificates (TOEFL/ITP/IELTS/ ACEPT/TOEP/TOEIC). The files were then selected by the UGM Outstanding Student Community (Kommapres) on 12 March 2024, followed by Faculty Level selection on 16 – 17 March 2024. The Faculty level selection stage included interviews for Outstanding Achievements ( CU) and Creative Idea presentations (GK) based on the scripts made by each participant.The announcement of The Faculty level was made on 19 March 2024.
On March 30, 2024, thirty members of BiOSC participated in the BiOSC Cultivation Training x Labskill at the Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This event was a collaboration between the Research and Cultivation Divisions of BiOSC. The BiOSC Cultivation Training x Labskill focuses on subculture techniques and seed sowing training, The event included three sessions: a lecture by a postgraduate student in Biotechnology, Febri Yuda Kurniawan; a training on subculture techniques; and a final session on seed sowing techniques. This series of activities begins with a pretest for participants followed by a lecture on sterilization, in vitro culture techniques, contaminants, and culture media.