UNAIR NEWS – International webinar entitled research trends in Indonesia and Portugal was held on Tuesday, November 17. The event was a collaboration webinar by Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Universitas Airlangga and Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Islam Indonesia (FTI-UII) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Data Analysis Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Department of Chemistry Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Institut Pertanian Bogor (FMIPA-IPB), Universidade de Aveiro (UA), and Portuguese Indonesian Student Association (PPI Portugal).

This activity is one of the university’s programs supporting SDGs program, especially SGDs 17 (Partnerships for the goals) related to research and international collaboration. Representatives from 3 universities also opened the international webinar event. There were dr. Muhammad Miftahussurur, M. Kes., Sp.PD-KGEH., Ph.D., as Vice Rector IV Universitas Airlangga, Prof. Bambang Pramudjati, Ph.D. as Vice Rector IV of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, and Prof. Joao Coutinho, Ph.D. as Pro-Rector of Universidade de Aveiro Portugal.

The webinar filled with speakers from each university through the Zoom application. There were Prof. Sonia Ventura, Ph.D. from Universidade de Aveiro, Dr. Woro Hastuti from FPK Unair, Nurul Widiastuti, Ph.D. from ITS, Dr. dr. Isnatin Miladiyah, M.Kes from UII, Prof. Dr. Irmanida Batubara, M.Si. from IPB, and André Lopez, Ph.D. from Universidade de Aveiro.

Furthermore, the webinar was a form of cooperation between several universities in Indonesia and Portugal related to academics and research. By holding the webinar, he continued, it is hoped that it can initiate further collaboration between researchers in Indonesia and Portugal.

“Besides, this webinar activity is expected to improve the student learning experience under the principles of Kampus Merdeka curriculum recommended by Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim,” he said.

More than 700 participants have registered for the event and attended by lecturers, researchers, and students worldwide. Besides that, the webinar drew tremendous enthusiasm from the participants.

At the end of the webinar event, Dr. Kiki explained that distance would no longer be an obstacle for Indonesian researchers and students to participate in another university’s activities, both within and outside the country.

“Portugal is one of the countries in Europe with a high level of research, which can be used as one of the campuses for cooperation. Hopefully, this activity will increase the number of academic and research cooperation activities for the two countries, “he concluded.

Author: Revanda Rizky Putraisya (2017 THP Student)