City planning department launched

JAKARTA (JP): Private Tarumanagara University launched on Thursday a new city planning department in a bid to meet rising demands for professional experts in city design.

Tono Setiadi, dean of the university's technique school, told a media conference at the Jl. S. Parman campus in West Jakarta that the opening of the new department was in line with a government ruling on the importance of city planning departments at universities.

"The government issued a decree last month, stipulating that all university study programs must be adjusted to the national curriculum," said.

We have tried to abide by the government's policy by launching the new department and dissolving the real estate program, Tono said.

Some subjects in the real estate program will be adopted by the city planning department to enable students from the former real estate program to continue their studies at the new department, he said.

Thursday's meeting was also attended by the university's rector, Agustinus Kahono, and the deputy chairman of Tarumanagara Foundation, Singgih Dirgagunarsa.

Alumni of the new department are expected to work in both private and government sectors either as researchers or lecturers, Tono said.

Subjects to be given to the students of the department include property investment and property development, he said.

The department, which has 53 lecturers, including 15 permanent staffers, is expected to start a class of 50 students in the new academic year starting in July, he said. (01)