Research Does Not Just Stop at Publications
Higher education research agendas are expected to be relevant to the needs of society and development in all sectors.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — (12/8/2021)
Universities play an important role in supporting research that produce innovations. A number of universities have strengthened research partnerships with industry and research institutions so that during the Covid-19 pandemic they can produce innovations to battle the pandemic. Collaborations like these are important so that research results don’t just stop at publication.
Welcoming the 2021 National Technology Awakening Day, Universitas Indonesia (UI) held the UI Innovation Month on August 9-13, 2021 online. The activity consisted of a series of webinars, focused group discussions (FGD), talk shows, and virtual innovation exhibitions.
A support endeavor to battle the pandemic was realized by UI by producing ventilators. The innovation has been included in the electronic catalog of the Government Goods/Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP).
The UI Ventilator team developed a low cost local transport ventilator based on a safe and functional pneumatic system called COVENT-20. This ventilator has several advantages, including being compact and simple so that it is safe to use for travel to the isolation room.
This ventilator is also easy to operate and energy efficient. The cost of manufacturing CO-VENT-20 is lower when compared to currently available commercial transport ventilator types.
This ventilator is equipped with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) and uses a microchip to store programs and data. COVENT-20 has been distributed to 180 hospitals, both Covid-19 referral hospitals and emergency hospitals throughout Indonesia.
“At UI, the principle that innovation must meet market demands is not just a jargon, but has been consistently implemented.” said Director of Innovation and Science Techno Park (DISTP) UI Ahmad Gamal, Wednesday (11/8/2021), in Jakarta.
The Rector of UI Ari Kuncoro said various activities carried out by UI, including in the fields of research and innovation, were no longer aimed at simply encouraging the creation of academic reputation through publications and the number of intellectual property rights. “The main thing is also to create something that have a bigger impact by encouraging downstreaming and commercialization of all thinking and creative powers.” Ari said.
Societal Economics
At Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta, research potential is directed to support the improvement of the Societal Economics. One of these efforts has been realized by the Department of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, UGM, together with the National Cooperatives of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, which strengthen the development of the Smart Coffee Enterprise Support System (SCESS) to support small and medium enterprises. The Dean of the UGM Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Eni Harmayani, hopes that this system can be developed and implemented more widely.
“Hopefully, with the application of this system, the welfare of coffee farmers in the country can be improved.” said the General Chair of the National Cooperatives Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Reza Fabianus.
Separately, the Acting Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nizam said that researches in universities was encouraged to be more closely related to the needs of the business/industrial world (DUDI). Research agendas must be relevant to the needs of society and development in all sectors. (ELN)
Source: Kompas Daily. Edition: Thursday, August 12, 2021. Humanities Rubric. Page 5.
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