UNS— Following the “IMIP Lecture Series” held on June 5, 2024, Prof. Ir. Dody Ariawan, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Alumni at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, led a visit and discussion on potential collaborations with PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Futufia Village, Bahodopi District, Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi. IMIP, a key player in Indonesia’s large-scale nickel industry, manages an industrial park focused on mineral and metal processing. The industrial park, inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in 2015, was designated as a National Strategic Project and National Vital Object in 2019.
During the visit on August 26, 2024, Trisno Wasito, Manager of the Learning Center at PT IMIP, detailed that the IMIP industrial area spans approximately 3.000 hectares and includes facilities such as iron, nickel, and chromium smelters, a large-scale carbon steel and new energy battery materials project, and a stainless steel smelter. The area is supported by infrastructure, including an airport, Water Treatment Plant, Steam Power Plant, and port. As of July 2024, IMIP has employed 83.428 workers, including 11.657 foreign employees.
Achmanto Mendatu, Head of Human Resources at PT IMIP, highlighted several potential areas for collaboration with UNS, including internships under the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program, training, workforce recruitment, and advanced study scholarships. Priority fields for collaboration include metallurgy, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, chemical engineering, economics, environmental engineering, public health, Mandarin language, psychology, accounting, management, finance, and Occupational Health and Safety.
IMIP also conveyed a need for basic Mandarin and Indonesian language training for foreign speakers to facilitate better communication between Indonesian and foreign employees. Additionally, Mandarin training is essential for IMIP scholarship recipients who will undergo training or further studies in China. In 2024-2025, IMIP will provide scholarships to 1.000 outstanding undergraduate and applied bachelor’s students (D4 and S1) from 30 universities across Indonesia. Other collaborative opportunities include engaging industry professionals as guest lecturers and hosting public lectures.
Prof. Dody welcomed the proposed collaborations, emphasizing that synergy between industry and academia is crucial for producing graduates with competencies that meet workforce demands. The collaboration between universities and industry is key to enhancing innovation, improving human resource quality, and strengthening Indonesia’s global competitiveness.
During the visit, UNS leadership also had the opportunity to meet with UNS alumni working in Morowali. “We are delighted and grateful to be visited by the UNS leadership, whom we consider our ‘parents.’ This visit has reinvigorated our spirit to contribute to the advancement of UNS in our way,” Nur Kumala Arifin, an alumnus of the Faculty of Law, Class of 1988, said.
According to data from the UNS Alumni Association (IKA UNS), there are 12 UNS alumni working in Morowali, hailing from programs such as Occupational Health and Safety, Physics, and Mandarin.
Agus Dwi Priyanto, S.S., M.CALL, a coordinator at the UNS Admissions Office (UPT SPMB), provided information on various admission pathways to UNS. The alumni are encouraged to share this information with the local community, inspiring more people to pursue their studies at UNS. Additionally, the alumni are expected to serve as a resource for their juniors, paving the way for more UNS graduates to work in the industrial area, a joint venture between Indonesia’s Bintang Delapan Group and China’s Tsingshan Steel Group.
HUMAS UNS
