REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA \u2013 The Indonesian Association of Free\nNutritious Meal Kitchen Entrepreneurs and Managers (APPMBGI) views the\noperation of the Free Nutritious Meal Kitchen (MBG) at Hasanuddin\nUniversity as an example of integration between academic research and\npublic programme implementation. This model is deemed capable of\nstrengthening the execution of science-based nutrition fulfilment\nprogrammes.<\/p>\n
APPMBGI General Chairman Abdul Rivai Ras stated that the MBG kitchen\non campus introduces a new approach to managing the Free Nutritious\nMeals programme through collaboration between the academic world and\nfield practice. This assessment was conveyed following a visit to the\nHasanuddin University MBG kitchen, accompanied by APPMBGI Expert Council\nMember Prof.\u00a0Sukri Palutturi and South Sulawesi APPMBGI Provincial Board\nChair Sri Asri Wulandari Aksa Mahmud.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe directly observed how the university is taking a strategic role\nin supporting the national priority programme in meeting community\nnutrition needs,\u201d said Abdul in his statement on Monday (4\/5\/2026).<\/p>\n
Abdul assessed that the presence of the MBG kitchen on campus is not\nmerely a food service facility but serves as a space for integrating\nknowledge, innovation, and public policy practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not just a kitchen in the operational sense. This is a\nliving laboratory. Here, knowledge, research, innovation, and practice\nmeet in a complete ecosystem,\u201d said Abdul.<\/p>\n
According to Abdul, the approach taken by Hasanuddin University\nreflects an ideal development model that can bridge the gap between\nacademic research and field implementation. Students, researchers, and\npractitioners are involved in a single cycle from concept formulation,\ntesting, to direct programme evaluation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far, we have often seen research stopping at the academic desk,\nwhile practice runs without a strong scientific basis. A model like this\nbreaks that chain. What is researched is directly tested, and what is\nimplemented can be scientifically improved,\u201d said Abdul.<\/p>\n
Abdul added that this integration pattern has long been applied in\nvarious advanced countries through the closeness of higher education\ninstitutions with production and innovation centres. According to him,\nthis model enables accelerated technology validation, process\nefficiency, and sustainable improvement in output quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a learning centre stands side by side with a production centre,\nthe innovation process becomes much faster, adaptive, and measurable.\nThis is what we see beginning to be built at Unhas through the MBG\nkitchen,\u201d said Abdul.<\/p>\n
The Hasanuddin University MBG kitchen is also assessed as functioning\nas a teaching factory that can serve as a centre for developing\noperational standards and MBG management models to be replicated in\nvarious regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an example of how public policy meets academic excellence.\nAnd when both run together, we are not just executing a programme, but\nbuilding a strong system,\u201d said Abdul.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unhas-mbg-kitchen-deemed-a-model-for-integrating-research-and-national-nutrition-programmes-1777877578", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }