SLEMAN - In accordance to the vision of the UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta, Faculty of Agriculture (UPNVY) becomes an Excellent Faculty of Agriculture in the Field of Sustainable Agriculture Based on the Mental Soul and Global Vision in 2020 ",

The Faculty of Agriculture continues to develop activities to achieve the vision of becoming a superior Faculty of Agriculture in the field of sustainable agriculture based on the spirit of national defense and global outlook in 2020.

For this reason, the Faculty of Agriculture seeks to develop and improve its quality through collaborations with several overseas university partners. One of them was carried out by 8 delegates from the UPNVY Faculty of Agriculture who conducted an exploratory collaboration to Ehime University and Tokyo University Agricultural and Technology (TUAT) on November 16-22, 2019.

The representatives were the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Deputy Dean for Student Affairs and Cooperation, Head of the Department of Agrotechnology, Head of the Department of Agribusiness, Coordinator of the Study Program in Agrotechnology, Coordinator of the Study Program of Agribusiness Bachelor Degree, Coordinator of the Study Program of Magister of Agribusiness and one lecturer in Agrotechnology as the order of the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture UPN "Veterans" Yogyakarta.

In a written statement from the Faculty of Agriculture UPNVY, the selection of Ehime University and Tokyo University Agricultural and Technology (TUAT) was based on the excellent international reputation of the two universities and the contact persons who have collaborated so far as reviewers and steering committee in The International Conference on Green Agroindustry (since 2013) and joint research, and the presence of several lecturers of Agriculture Faculty UPNVY at the two universities.

"We discussed various matters, especially in the academic field with representatives of Ehime University and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT). There  are plans to increase cooperation for student and lecturer exchanges as well as further study opportunities for lecturers", said Mofit Eko Poerwanto, one of the delegation members.

It also discussed the opportunities for inbound and outbound activities organized by both parties and the procedures for credit earnings and credit transfers for the students of UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta and TUAT.

In addition, Mofit continued, the delegates visited several laboratories and Plant Factory to see the facilities available at Ehime University with Prof. Naoto Matsue. The visit to the Plant Factory was to see the research facilities for fruit and vegetable plants in TUAT with Prof. Tasuku Kato.

The results of the exploratory collaboration, said Mofit, would be followed up with the collaboration of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) and Ehime University in the International Conference organized by the Faculty of Agriculture UPNVY and publication in the proceedings of indexed international conferences.

"We will open the opportunity for the lecturers of UPN Veteran Yogyakarta to conduct researches together with funding sources collected by each party", said Mofit.

In addition, it will invite the students of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) and Ehime University to take the Tea Summer Course in 2020 at UPNVY. The next follow up is the participation of the Internship program at TUAT with the cost of a Japanese SSSV or JASO scholarship for the students of Agriculture Faculty UPNVY.

Previously, cooperations with other country partners had been carried out by the Faculty of Agriculture UPNVY by having the implementation of activities including student and lecturer exchanges with Eszterhazy Karoly University in Hungary, Tokyo Agricultural and Technology University (TUAT) in Japan, Tarlac Agricultural University and Sultan Kudarat State University in Phillippine. (Mofit Eko Poerwanto / FP)