MALANG, Indonesia – Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) Student Travel Grant for Conference awardee, Mr. Mohamad Shazeli Che Zain from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), attended an International Conference on Regenerative Medicine at Santika Premiere Hotel, Malang, Indonesia on 22-23 November 2019. The conference was co-organized by UPM and Universitas Brawijaya, both members of the UC.
The theme of the conference was "New Challenges toward Regenerative Medicine" which included lectures and keynote speeches by experts from the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The event highlighted developments in the field of medicine and the latest technology for discovering drugs. The conference also included oral and poster presentations with Mr. Shazeli presenting his study on "The Application of Flavonoid C-glycosides extracted from oil palm leaves on fibroblast cells for their wound healing properties". The conference also provided Mr. Shazeli further information on stem cell application, utilization of natural products, chemistry, and ethical issues which proved valuable to his research on plant-based cell culture.
Besides participating in the conference, Mr. Shazeli also engaged in different cultural activities during his stay where he learned a lot about Indonesian tradition. The travel grant availed by Mr. Shazeli allows graduate students from UC member institutions to present a paper in a conference or seminar organized by another UC member institution. It also fosters cultural exchange in Southeast Asia. There are four grants under the UC Student Travel Grant, namely, UC Student Travel Grant for Research, UC Student Travel Grant for Conference, UC Student Travel Grant for Credit, and UC Student Travel Grant for Training/Workshop/Short Course.
The UC Student Travel Grant is made available for graduate students from the following universities: Institut Pertanian Bogor (Indonesia), Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia), Universitas Brawijaya (Indonesia), Universiti Putra Malaysia (Malaysia), Kasetsart University (Thailand), University of the Philippines Los Baños (Philippines), Tokyo University of Agriculture (Japan), and National Taiwan University (Taiwan). SEARCA, which serves as UC Secretariat, facilitates the awarding of grants upon endorsement of the UC Coordinator of the member institutions. For more information about other UC grants for faculty, research, and mobility, visit: https://uc.searca.org/grants
Taipei, Taiwan – Executive Board members of the University Consortium attended the 32nd Executive Board Meeting on 21-22 November 2019 at National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Regular Member institutions represented in the meeting include: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) represented by Dr. Robiah Yunus, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, and Mr. Saiful Maskan, Senior Assistant Registrar; Kasetsart University (KU) represented by Dr. Buncha Chinnasri, Assistant to the President, and Dr. Naroon Waramit, Assistant to the President for Academic and International Affairs, Kamphaeng Saen Campus; Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) represented by Dr. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, Vice Rector for Education, Learning, and Student Affairs, and Dr. Jamhari, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) represented by Dr. Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, Vice Rector for Collaboration and Information System, Dr. Meti Ekayani, Deputy Head of Department of Resource and Environment Economics, and Dr. Nahrowi, Secretary of Master Program, Graduate School; and University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) represented by Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Chancellor, Dr. Portia Lapitan, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr., Dean of the Graduate School.
Associate Member Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) was represented by Dr. Akihiro Shiomoto, Dean of the Graduate School of Bioindustry and Dr. Yoichi Sakata, Director of the Center for International Programs. The host institution, NTU, was represented by Dr. Huu Sheng Lur and Dr. Shu Jen Wang, Dean and Associate Dean, respectively, of the College of Bioresources and Agriculture. Dr. Chiapei Chou, Executive Vice President for International Affairs of NTU likewise attended the meeting and delivered a keynote message to the Executive Board together with Dr. Shih-Torng Ding, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Dar-Yuan Lee, Associate Dean of the College of Bioresources and Agriculture, and Dr. Chi-Te Liu, Associate Professor, Institute of Biotechnology.
Universitas Brawijaya (UB), seeking formal inclusion to the UC as Regular Member from their current status as Affiliate Member, was represented in the meeting by Dr. Moch. Sasmito Djati, Vice Rector of Planning and Cooperation, and Dr. Panji Deoranto, Head of Agency for Research, Community Service and Cooperation, Faculty of Agricultural Technology. The University of British Columbia (UBC) was also in attendance, represented by Dr. Zhaoming Xu, Associate Dean Academic for the Faculty of Food and Land Systems. UBC’s status as an Affiliate Member has been reactivated since the last UC Executive Board meeting in 2018.
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) which serves as UC Secretariat and co-organizer of the meeting was represented by Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director, Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, OIC for the Office of the Deputy Director for Administration and Program Head of the Graduate Education and Institutional Development Department (GEIDD), and Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio, Program Head of the Research and Development Department (RDD).
During the meeting, the Executive Board reviewed the accomplishments of the UC through the respective member reports in terms of scholarships, grants, activities, and offshoot projects resulting from collaborations with institutions. The UC also formally welcomed Universitas Brawijaya (UB) as a Regular Member and acknowledged NTU as the host and new Associate Member. In addition, updates on the ERASMUS+-funded project on a Joint Master program in Food Security and Climate Change (MSFSCC) was presented together with the plans of offering the degree in 2020. Activities for next year were also laid out with UB hosting the upcoming Summer School, UGM taking the lead for the 6th UC Graduate Forum, NTU organizing the 2nd Faculty Forum, and KU at the helm of the 33rd UC Executive Board Meeting.
The UC was established in 1989 through SEARCA’s initiative to share resources and collaborate on student and faculty exchanges among leading agricultural universities. Now on its 30th year, the UC continues to offer competitive student and faculty grants and activities hosted by the different member institutions on a rotation basis. The UC also engages in dual or joint degrees as well as collaborative research studies among the members and institutional partners outside Southeast Asia. For more information about the UC and its annual activities, grants, and scholarships visit https://uc.searca.org/
Taipei, Taiwan – The National Taiwan University (NTU) served as host for the 32nd Executive Board Meeting on 21-22 November 2019. The institution was formally accepted as an Associate Member of the University Consortium (UC) early this year. NTU is one of the top comprehensive and research-oriented universities in Taiwan. It provides a diverse, competitive, and international curriculum while insisting on a strong academic training for cutting-edge research and development. It is also one of the world's preeminent research and education institutes that provides leadership and academic excellence in a wide array of disciplines across science, arts, and the humanities. NTU hosts four international research centers, six national research centers, and fifty college level research centers.
During the meeting, NTU, led by Dean Huu-Sheng Lur, organized a tour of their Gallery of University History which recorded the development of NTU starting from its founding years. In addition, they also brought the attendees to their Experimental Farm and presented a Smart Agriculture Drone Demo conducted by their engineering students. Organic products from the farm were also served to the Executive Board members.
Besides the UC Executive Board meeting, NTU has also committed to hosting the 2nd Faculty Forum on September 2020. This annual event aims to provide faculty members from UC member institutions an opportunity to develop camaraderie, encourage transdisciplinary studies, and promote greater integration of research through strategic partnerships for collaboration. The 1st Faculty Forum was hosted by University of the Philippines Los Banos with the theme Responding to the Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. For more information about the upcoming Faculty Forum, visit https://uc.searca.org/ for updates.
Taipei, Taiwan - Universitas Brawijaya (UB) was welcomed as a Regular Member of the University Consortium (UC) during the 32nd Executive Board Meeting at National Taiwan University (NTU) on 21-22 November 2019. UB was founded in 1961 and is one of the leading universities in Indonesia which specializes in agriculture, medicine, economics, law, engineering, and information technology. The institution also has a number of international linkages with academic exchange programs and double degree offerings in MS and PhD, more than 1,200 international student enrollment and numerous SCOPUS-indexed publications.
UB articulated their intent to join the UC during the 29th UC Executive Board meeting in 2016 and was initially granted an Affiliate Member status. Since then, UB has actively and satisfactorily engaged in different UC activities both as host as well as in sending participants from their institution. Their most notable contribution was hosting the 2018 Graduate Forum back to back with the International Conference on Green Agroindustry and Bioeconomy which received positive feedback from the delegates. With their track record, the UC Executive Board unanimously granted the institution regular membership status.
During the planning of the UC Executive Members for 2020, UB once again committed to become the host of another major activity which is the Summer School. This activity is a postgraduate course designed to enhance the understanding of students and other professionals in rural studies, agriculture and natural resource management on the importance of the interdisciplinary approach in tackling the issue of food and nutrition security in Southeast Asia for sustainable development. Previous hosts of the Summer School include University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), Kasetsart University (KU), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). For more information and updates about the Summer School, visit https://uc.searca.org/projects/summer-school
Taipei, Taiwan – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), and Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 22 November 2019 regarding the Tokyo NODAI-UC Scholarship for Dissertation Doctorate Program. This partnership aims to enhance the agricultural research and development in Southeast Asia by allowing SEAMEO scholars to be conferred a doctorate degree from Tokyo NODAI upon satisfying the requirements for doctorate dissertation work.
Tokyo NODAI offers a unique, integrated approach to agricultural education through its three campuses with the Faculties of Applied Bio-Science, Regional Environmental Science, International Agriculture and Food Studies located at its Tokyo campus in Setagaya-ku, the Faculty of Agriculture at the Atsugi campus in Kanagawa and the Faculty of Bio-industry at the Okhotsk campus in Hokkaido. Tokyo NODAI aims to advance agriculture and to support agriculture’s related industries through its programs focusing on core areas of Agronomy, Life Science, Environmental Science, and Bio-industry Science.
The institution has been an Associate Member of the UC since 2006 and has actively participated by hosting the 30th Executive Board Meeting in 2017 and in accommodating participants from the UC member institutions for scholarships and activities, as well as sending Tokyo NODAI delegates to UC events.
