UNS — The Graduate School of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta has established a strategic partnership. This partnership is with the Regional Development, Research, and Innovation Planning Agency (Bapperida) of Bontang City, East Kalimantan. The partners formalized the agreement during a signing ceremony held on Monday (14/4/2025) at the Bapperida Meeting Room in Bontang. This collaboration represents a significant step toward supporting sustainable development through the university’s three pillars of higher education. Those are education, research, and community service.
Dr. Salman Alfarisy Totalia, S.Pd., M.Si., Vice Dean for Non-Academic Affairs at the UNS Graduate School, led the UNS delegation. Academic team members accompanied him. Those included Prof. Dr. Prabang Setyono, M.Si., Prof. Dr. Mohammad Masykuri, M.Si., Dr. Agung Hidayat, S.Pd., M.Sc., and Bambang Jatmika, S.Sos.,
Ir. Amirudin, M.P., the Head of Bapperida Bontang, along with heads of divisions and staff members, represented Bapperida Bontang.
Goals and Expected Outcomes
In his speech, Dr. Salman highlighted the primary goal of this partnership. He stated that the goal is to strengthen the role of higher education institutions in regional development. “As a multidisciplinary academic institution, the UNS Graduate School provides opportunities for collaboration in education, research, and community engagement. We aim to enhance human resource quality in Bontang, particularly through our master’s and doctoral programs,” he explained.
Ir. Amirudin, M.P., Head of Bapperida Bontang, expressed his appreciation for the initiative. He emphasized his hope that the partnership will lead to tangible programs addressing the city’s specific needs. “We are optimistic about this collaboration. We believe it will help solve regional challenges such as waste management, post-mining land reclamation, and strengthening development governance,” he said.
The partnership aligns with several pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:
• Pillar 4: Quality Education — Enhancing academic capacity and regionally-focused research.
• Pillar 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — Supporting inclusive and environmentally friendly development in Bontang.
• Pillar 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions — Improving institutional governance through academic and local government collaboration.
Through this partnership, the UNS Graduate School and Bapperida Bontang are confident in their ability to drive sustainable, competitive regional transformation. They aim to achieve this through knowledge and innovation.
Humas UNS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
