ITS Campus, ITS News — The Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) has established a strategic partnership with the South Sulawesi Provincial Government (Pemprov Sulsel) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday (March 5). This collaboration affirms ITS’s commitment to supporting regional development through strengthening innovation and the use of technology.
Jufri Rahman, MSi, Regional Secretary of the South Sulawesi Provincial Government, stated that the region, which carries the motto “Todopopuli,” possesses abundant natural resource potential. With hundreds of islands, as well as continuously developing industrial and port areas, South Sulawesi is considered to have significant potential to become a driving force for the national economy.
Jufri continued, explaining that several strategic sectors in South Sulawesi continue to develop and require research and technology-based support. One such sector is the maritime sector, particularly the development of the national shipbuilding industry, such as PT Industri Kapal Indonesia (IKI) in Makassar. “This industry plays a crucial role in supporting shipping activities in eastern Indonesia,” he said.
Furthermore, South Sulawesi’s geographical location, consisting of numerous islands, also demands strengthened inter-island connectivity to support community mobility and logistics distribution. Given these conditions, Jufri hopes this collaboration will be key to building strong synergy between the South Sulawesi provincial government and ITS in delivering research- and technology-based development solutions.
Responding to this, ITS Rector Prof. Dr. (HC) Ir. Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD, emphasized ITS’s readiness to contribute to various development sectors in South Sulawesi. Through its excellence in the maritime sector, ITS has become the center of a national maritime consortium involving various universities and strategic industries. “Through this consortium, we are ready to support the modernization of design and digitalization of the shipping industry in South Sulawesi,” he said.
Furthermore, Bambang revealed that opportunities for collaboration in water transportation development are also wide open. ITS has many outstanding lecturers and researchers ready to contribute through various research centers and study centers, including the Science Techno Park (STP) facility , which can support the planning and development process.
Beyond the maritime sector, ITS also offers collaboration opportunities in the agricultural sector by developing smart farming technology, mechanizing and electrifying agricultural equipment to increase land productivity. “Many innovations have emerged from this Campus of Heroes to support the more optimal use of South Sulawesi’s resources,” he explained.
In addition to technology development, the Professor of the ITS Department of Mechanical Engineering also offers opportunities for collaboration in human resource development by admitting high-achieving students from South Sulawesi to study at ITS. Bambang stated that the sustainability of this collaboration can also be realized through the provision of special student admissions pathways.
Through this collaboration, Bambang hopes the synergy created will generate various innovations that can support sustainable development while improving the welfare of the people of South Sulawesi. This collaboration also aligns with efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly point 9 on Infrastructure, Industry, and Innovation and point 17 on Partnerships to Achieve the Goals. (ITS Public Relations)
Reporter: Andra Eka Wijayanti
Translator: Devinka Mutianeira