On Thursday 2 February 2023 the Dean, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc. and Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni, Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc., joined leadership agenda of Universitas Gadjah Mada to the BINUS University Alam Sutera campus, Tangerang City, Banten.

In this occasion, the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, was able to learn from BINUS University in the academic field, research management, management of information technology systems and other innovative programs that can improve the academic quality of students and lecturers.

These programs include the use of IT for the learning process that makes it easy for lecturers and students to interact, integration of IT systems at all academic levels, human resources and infrastructure, apprenticeship programs that are connected to the career development of students after graduation, study program promotion systems with more millennial program names and an efficient staffing structure.

In this occasion, an agreement was made for collaboration in the development of BINUS University’s biotechnology study and research programs with the Faculty of Biology UGM.

Thursday on 2 February 2022, the Research Team for the Independent Learning Campus Program (Lit MBKM) of the Faculty of Biology UGM, chaired by Dr. Rarastoeti Pratiwi M.Sc. with Pratama Atha Nafi, Diani Nur Dzakiyah, Lutfi Maulana and Cintya Angelina, have carried out an initial visit at CV Pradipta Paramita, Karanganyar, Central Java. The visit was warmly welcomed by Dra. Agnes Heratri M.P., as the Main Director of CV Pradipta Paramita, along with several managerial staff. In his remarks, he said that CV Pradipta Paramita was very open to the partnership that would be forged with the UGM Faculty of Biology. According to Mrs. Agnes, she is very happy with this collaboration, because as an alumni of the 1982 batch of the Faculty of Biology UGM, she hopes to provide more benefits to her alma mater.

During the meeting, it was also conveyed about the activities and various products that have been produced by CV Pradipta Paramita, including in the form of supplements and probiotics to support the health of livestock and fish, various organic plant fertilizers, as well as biological agents to control horticultural plant pests. CV Pradipta Paramita also produces various herbal-based health drink products. The company also has an experimental garden where product prototypes are tested to be applied to horticultural crops. Product marketing from this CV covers various cities in Indonesia.

After listening to an explanation from CV Pradipta Paramita, then followed by a discussion between the MBKM Lit team at the Faculty of Biology UGM. The discussion began with some questions from students, starting from the beginning of the establishment of CV Pradipta Paramita, to becoming the Biotechnology Industry. Mrs. Agnes explained about the many problems that arise in society, starting from the health, agriculture, fishery and environment sectors. In fact, Indonesia has extraordinary biological wealth, which can be used to overcome these problems. The various products produced by CV Pradipta started with the results of research, observation and field tests, data analysis and then made products that have been tested and registered with the relevant agencies to be traded.

The MBKM Research Team also conveyed the theme of the research that would be carried out jointly, namely regarding the development of butterfly pea plants as a health drink and anti-pest product for cultivated plants. The butterfly pea plant (Clitoria ternate) is the choice, because based on a literature review, the butterfly pea flower has properties as an antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-depressant. In addition to its distinctive color, blue to purple, butterfly pea flowers can be combined with various other herbs and nutrients, so that they can be made into health drinks. In addition, the eggplant also contains compounds that can be used as insecticides, hence that it can be developed into a biological agent for controlling pests in horticultural crops.

During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Faculty of Biology UGM and CV. Pradipta Paramita signed by the Main Director, Dra. Agnes Heratri, M.P., with the Dean, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc. This collaboration is expected to be expanded and improved again for the next five years. The visit ended with mementos in the form of several health drink products from CV Pradipta Paramita.

Sunday at 29 February 2023, the UGM Faculty of Biology Team consisting of the Dean, Deputy Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation and Alumni, Head of Office and Administration, Head of Administration, Finance and General Affairs Section and The Faculty of Biology UGM Collaboration Staff section visited the Ajibarang Hospital to take part in a series of activities for the 16th Anniversary of Ajibarang Hospital in 2023.

The series of activities for the anniversary of the Ajibarang Hospital began with remarks and submission of reports from dr. Noegroho Harbani, M.Sc.,Sp.S. as the Director of Ajibarang Hospital and continued with the reading of the prayer, then followed by the opening of the event by Ir. Ahmad Husein as Regent of Banyumas, Line Dance, tree planting assistance from the Faculty of Biology UGM, Inauguration of the BPJS KRIS Under Standard Seagull Treatment Room, Ajibarang Hospital Anniversary Celebration which was enlivened with several competitions and door prizes, and ended with the signing of the MoU and PKS (Cooperation Agreement)  between the Faculty of Biology UGM and Ajibarang Hospital.

The Faculty of Biology UGM has donated walnut tree seedlings (100 trees), avocado trees (2 trees), Super Sleman longan trees (4 trees), longkong trees (1 tree), and blackboard trees (1 tree) to be planted in the Ajibarang Hospital development area.

The symbolic planting was carried out by the Banyumas Regent, Chairperson of the Banyumas Regency DPRD, Director of the Ajibarang Hospital and Dean of the Faculty of Biology UGM by planting avocado and walnut trees which followed by mass planting by all Ajibarang Hospital employees on Friday, 3 February 2023 with the hope that in the next five to ten years Ajibarang Hospital will become a green-hospital to increase the comfort and quality of the hospital environment.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between the Faculty of Biology UGM and Ajibarang Hospital was held in the Director’s room of Ajibarang Hospital, attended by officials and doctors of Ajibarang Hospital.The scope of the collaboration includes cooperation in the fields of education and training, research and scientific publications, community service, the Independent Learning Campus (MBKM) program, and cooperation in the 2023 Matching Fund grant with Prof. Purnomo, M.S. (Professor of Plant Systematics at the Faculty of Biology UGM) as the chief proponent for the development of milk gourd cultivation and processed products in improving public health in Ajibarang District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java.

“Ajibarang Hospital almost feels like our home because the welcome was so warm and friendly. Planting a tree means planting a life because when a tree is planted there will be many other lives that will be present. Hopefully one day representatives from the Ajibarang Hospital can also visit the Faculty of Biology UGM so that I can take you on a tour of the Sawitsari Research Station and Porok Beach, Faculty of Biology UGM,” said the Dean of the Faculty of Biology UGM.

Director of Ajibarang Hospital, dr. Noegroho Harbani, M.Sc., Sp.S also expressed his gratitude and hoped that with this collaboration apart from transferring seeds, the Faculty of Biology UGM can also transfer knowledge, especially for stunting management programs in the Ajibarang area.

Zebrafish is one of the important model organisms in the study of disease in humans. The Asian Conference on Fish Models for Disease 2023 is one of the venues for holding discussions between researchers and students who use zebrafish as the main object of research. This conference took place at the Hyatt Yogyakarta Hotel from 30 January to 2 February 2023. The advisory board of this conference came from various international institutions including Leiden University (Netherlands), National University of Singapore (Singapore), Monash University (Australia), Mie University (Japan ), Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (Singapore), Soochow University (China), and the Hongkong University of Science and Technology (Hongkong). UGM’s involvement in organizing this activity was represented by lecturers and students from the Faculty of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and FKKMK as committee members.

This conference is one manifestation of the collaboration between Leiden University and UGM to support the acceleration of the use of zebrafish as research model animals at UGM. Prof. Herman Spaink from Leiden University, as coordinator of the advisory board of this conference, is a strategic partner of the Faculty of Biology in research and education development. During the three days of implementation, researchers and students from various countries discussed the application of zebrafish as a model in the study of diseases such as diabetes, tuberculosis, growth disorders, etc. The Faculty of Biology sent 9 delegates for this activity, namely Prof. Budi S. Daryono (Dean), Dr. Eko Agus Suyono (Deputy Dean for P2MKSA), Dr. Bambang Retnoaji, Dr. biol. hom. Nastiti Wijayanti, Dr. Tri Rini Nuringtyas, Donan Satria Yudha, M.Sc., Lisna Hidayati, M. Biotech, Nur Indah Septriani, Ph.D., and Dr. Fajar Sofyantoro. As one of the speakers, Prof. Budi S. Daryono presented a topic related to the involvement of the Indonesian Biology Consortium (KOBI) in the preparation and application of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index (IBI). Prof. Budi also emphasized the importance of collaboration between countries to ensure that the rate of extinction of biodiversity in the world can be suppressed. This appeal received a positive response from the participants who attended this conference. On the 2nd day, Dr. Bambang Retnoaji participated as a speaker with a theme related to the potential of wader fish and its opportunities to be used as animal models. In his presentation, Dr. Bambang also conveyed the contribution of the Faculty of Biology in developing artificial spawning techniques to support wader fish conservation.

The conference closed on Wednesday, 1 February 2023 with a dinner attended by Prof. dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG., Ph.D. as Chancellor of UGM. Delivered to all advisory boards, researchers, and students attending the 2023 Asian Conference on Fish Models for Disease, the Chancellor of UGM hopes that research at UGM related to zebrafish can accelerate well in the future.

The Faculty of Biology is participating in the UGM Team for the Development of Collaboration with Partners in Australia which starts on 28 November to 1 December 2022. The UGM team, which was led directly by the Chancellor and consisted of the Secretary to the Chancellor, the Director of KUI along with the Head of the Office of International Cooperation and the Head of the Office of Quality Assurance, also included the Dean of the Faculty of Biology UGM (Prof. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D.) and WD P2MKSA (Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc.) along with the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering (Prof. Selo), Dean of FMIPA (Prof. Kuwat Triyana) and WD AKM FMIPA (Prof. Roto) and Dean of the UGM Vocational School ( Dr. Ir. Agus Maryono).

The plan to develop cooperation with partners in the Australian region is based on various considerations to strengthen and follow up various discussions related to increasing the output of cooperation in the field of tridharma with partners in Australia in Sydney and Melbourne, namely The University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Western Sydney University (WSU), The University of Melbourne (UniMelb) and Monash University.

On the fourth day of their visit (Thursday, 1 December 2022) to Monash University, the UGM delegation was welcomed by Professor Rebekah Brown (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Senior Vice-President), Mr Paul Sabo (Director, Research Engagement and Impact, Office of DVC (Research) Engineering), Professor Scott Tyo (Head of Department, Electrical & Computer Systems Engineering), Professor Hai Vu (Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Engineering), and Ms Shameera Salahudeen (Senior Project Coordinator, Office of DVC (Global Engagement).

UGM – Monash has collaborated since 2005 with various output activities such as staff & student mobility and research collaboration. UGM is the organizing partner for the Monash University Global Immersion Guarantee (GIG) activity in November 2022 with 64 Monash University students participating.

On this occasion the Faculty of Biology plans to send its students to take part in the IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards) Program at the Faculty of Science, Monash University which will begin its implementation in 2023. Besides that, opportunities to take part in International Exposé include student exchange and mobility for students and lecturers and opportunities for research collaboration in the field of climate change and the environment.