Swiss German University prepares for the Future
Swiss German University prepares for the Future
No one can live without food. But only a few people are aware
of the complexity of the technology of food processing.
Take rice, for example. Indonesia, a country where most of the
people eat rice, is actually facing a big problem with rice
storage which causes a loss of up to one-third of the harvest or
about US$2.2 billion a year, says Prof. Dr. Peter Pscheid, Rector
of Swiss German University (SGU).
This is among the crucial factors that were taken into
consideration before the university's decision to open a course
in Food Technology in its campus at the German Center in Bumi
Serpong Damai, West Java.
"In this course, the storage of rice and water analysis will
be the main research topics," Prof. Dr. Peter Pscheid said,
emphasizing that, in the future, water will have the same or even
more importance than oil. The Food Technology course will help
students to learn the technology and engineering of food
processing and food analysis.
Besides Food Technology, there are two other new courses that
will be offered by SGU starting this August in its new Life
Sciences Faculty. They are Pharmaceutical Engineering and
Biomedical Engineering.
"SGU will open a new degree course in Biomedical Engineering
in Indonesia," Prof. Dr. Peter Pscheid said. The course in
Biomedical Engineering will help students to understand and learn
about the complex technology of biological and medical changes
and developments. A main area will be Oncology, which deals with
cancer. This will be studied in cooperation with the specialized
and well known clinic "Kloster Paradiese" in Germany.
Students who take the course in Pharmaceutical Engineering
will study the complex technology of investigating, developing
and producing drugs.
The government, represented by the KOPERTIS IV, gave a warm
welcome to the plan for the opening of the Life Sciences Faculty.
It is hoped that the administrative difficulties with the customs
service in importing sophisticated equipment will also be
overcome in the future.
Apart from the new courses in Life Sciences, SGU currently
offers courses in Mechatronics (integration of Mechanical
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Information
Technology), Information Technology (Information & Communication
Technology, Software Engineering, Multimedia Engineering,
Business Computing), Business Administration (Banking, Insurance,
Auditing) and Hotel and Tourism Management. All courses are
conducted in English.
SGU is a government and privately sponsored university for the
ASEAN region and is run by the Swiss German University-Asia
Foundation. It was established in 2000 as a joint effort between
Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Indonesia.
The Board of Founders is chaired by the German Ambassador to
Indonesia. Members of the Board of Governors are distinguished
persons such as the CEOs of PT. Siemens Indonesia, PT. Allianz
Utama, PT. DaimlerChrysler Indonesia, PT. Nestli Indonesia and
representatives of government and industry.
SGU offers courses which combine theoretical and practical
training. The programs and degrees are internationally recognized
as the students will get a double degree. "You don't have to go
abroad in order to get a foreign degree," Prof. Dr. Peter Pscheid
said. "We work hard and are on the way to achieving similar
standards to universities in Europe," he added.
For the Bachelor's Degree students there are internships in
Indonesia in the 3rd semester and abroad (in Europe, e.g.
Germany) in the 6th semester. The duration of each internship is
6 months. Recently, for the second time, SGU has sent 58 6th
semester students for an internship program in various companies
and institutions in Germany for 6 months.
"In Germany, these students also act as ambassadors for
Indonesia. They represent Indonesia in a positive way," Prof. Dr.
Peter Pscheid said. As for the students, the internship program
also helps them to become more independent in a different
cultural environment, to build their self confidence and to learn
to be more disciplined.
SGU has about 100 lecturers, including part-timers, and about
500 students. It expects to receive 360 new students in the
coming academic year. The average number of students in a class
is 30 while the ratio between lecturers and students is 1:20.
Students do not just take the normal end of semester
examinations. Before they can start writing their final thesis at
the end of their studies, they have to pass oral examinations in
five key subjects in front of a lecturer and an observer. SGU
students indeed have to work hard but their hard work will surely
pay off.
Campus German Centre
Bumi Serpong Damai - 15321
Island of Java, Indonesia
Tel.+62 21 537 6221
Fax.+62 21 537 6201
info@sgu.ac.id
www.sgu.ac.id