University of Lampung Forges Research Partnership with PTPN III
Lampung University (Unila) has entered into a research partnership with PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero) to strengthen the relationship between higher education and the business world.
“The signing of this memorandum of understanding is an important step to strengthen the relationship between higher education and the business world,” said Unila Rector Lusmeilia Afriani in Bandarlampung on Wednesday.
She said the research collaboration also serves as a foundation for bringing together Unila’s academic strengths with the real needs of the plantation and agricultural industry.
“Unila has strong academic resources, including 156 professors, as well as a faculty of agriculture with broad scientific fields. Ranging from agriculture, agricultural technology, forestry to animal husbandry. So the focus of the collaboration can include education, research, community service, human resource development, and the utilisation of innovation to address issues of productivity, efficiency, and sustainability,” she said.
She explained that the concept of an impactful university demands that the strengths possessed by the campus do not stop at the academic sphere.
“Unila’s knowledge, expertise, laboratories, research, and human resources need to be matched with field needs in order to produce benefits that can be felt by the community. With this collaboration, programmes can be formed to support an impactful university,” she said.
She continued that Unila continues to encourage the collaboration to be immediately developed into concrete, measurable, and sustainable programmes. PTPN is a strategic partner because it has land, an industrial ecosystem, commodity management experience, and practice spaces that can strengthen student learning and research processes.
PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero) President Director Denaldy Mulino Mauna added his response.
“Collaboration with universities is increasingly urgent amid the rapidly changing industrial ecosystem,” said Denaldy.
According to him, companies are no longer sufficient merely pursuing productivity and efficiency, but must also be able to adapt, innovate, and ensure sustainability.
“We are required not only to be productive and efficient, but also adaptive, innovative, and sustainable,” he added.
He continued that the industrial world has strength in operational experience and production routines, while universities have greater room to develop research-based innovation. Therefore, collaboration with campuses is considered important to bridge these needs.
“Industry focuses on being productive and efficient. For innovation, sustainability, and adaptability, we will perhaps collaborate with campuses,” he said.
One example is through the development of cassava as a commodity.
He said high productivity and its potential use to support the energy security agenda are important reasons to encourage joint research and trials.
“If we can realise that, the government’s programme aspirations for bioethanol and ethanol so that we achieve energy security later,” he said.