Last Updated: 5 months ago
The Faculty of Agriculture (FAPERTA) of Universitas Djuanda (UNIDA) took part in the Tridarma International Visit & Academic Program Batch 6, organized by the ASEAN Academic Association (ASEANACA) in Malaysia. This program served as a strategic momentum for FAPERTA UNIDA to expand its international academic networks while strengthening the downstreaming of agricultural research based on food technology innovation.
The program, held from 27–31 January 2026, began with an institutional visit and academic meeting at the Food Technology Incubator of MARA (INTEM) located in the KIP Industrial Park, Kuala Lumpur. The visit focused on understanding the governance of business incubation and the development of food technology innovations managed by Malaysian public institutions.
The Dean of FAPERTA UNIDA, Dr. Abdullah Baharun, S.Pt., M.Si., emphasized that the Faculty’s participation in this program represents a concrete step in strengthening the role of higher education institutions as key drivers of innovation in the agricultural and food sectors.
“This activity is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Through international research collaboration and the strengthening of networks with incubation institutions such as INTEM MARA, the Faculty of Agriculture of UNIDA continues to promote the downstreaming of agricultural technology innovations to generate tangible impacts on food security,” he stated.
According to him, strengthening the research ecosystem up to the commercialization stage is essential in addressing the challenges of modern agriculture. The incubation model implemented by INTEM provides a comprehensive picture of the integration between research, public policy, and industry needs in developing innovative food-based products.
The delegation of the Faculty of Agriculture UNIDA in this activity was represented by Dr. Muhammad Zainal Fanani, S.P., a lecturer in the Agrotechnology Study Program. He explained that the visit to INTEM offered a strategic experience in understanding how agricultural research outputs can be systematically developed until they are ready to enter the industrial market.
“The model implemented by MARA demonstrates that research does not stop at publication, but is directed toward products with added value and market readiness. This serves as an important lesson for strengthening the downstreaming of agricultural research in Indonesia,” he explained.
In addition to the institutional visit, the Tridarma International Visit & Academic program also included visiting lectures, research collaboration, student mobility, international community service programs (PKM), as well as participation in the 6th International Conference on Sustainability in Technological, Environmental, Law, Management, Social and Economic Matters (ICOSTELM 2026) in Melaka.
The active participation of FAPERTA UNIDA in this international forum reaffirms the institution’s commitment to supporting the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) of higher education institutions, particularly in strengthening global cooperation and enhancing the role of lecturers beyond campus boundaries. Furthermore, this activity represents a strategic step toward building an innovative, globally competitive agricultural system oriented toward sustainable development.