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Month: September 2023

AUS’ Green Living Learning Community: An immersive environment for sustainable living, long-lasting connections

Posted on by Amy Robinson

Sustainable living is not only about drinking your coffee from a reusable cup, but rather how your lifestyle choices can impact the world around you. From how you prepare your food to the fashion you choose to wear, your habits may potentially help save polar bears.

With the hope of applying her knowledge about sustainable living to her life, American University of Sharjah (AUS) student Tasneem Shafeeq Khuzai is grateful to be part of the Green Living Learning Community (GLLC) launched on September 6 in the AUS residential halls.

Coordinated by Dr. Dr. Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo, Executive Director of Student Experience at AUS; Kristina Katsos, Lecturer in International Studies; and Julia Angelika Carlow, Head of AUS Sustainability, GLLC offers an immersive environment for students to connect with like-minded peers who share interests in climate change and sustainable living.

“I am ambitious and excited to share what I learned about ecology and sustainability from my courses, previous internships and research with others who have similar interests to me. Most importantly, I hope to reconnect with those like me who care about being as sustainable as possible. I also hope to focus more this semester on volunteering and internships to be able to excel academically and be more involved with the community,” said Khuzai.

With the aid of AUS Residential Assistants(RA), GLLC members sharing the same floor in their respective residential halls will engage in a variety of activities and social opportunities that are focused on sustainability. These opportunities range from promoting events on sustainability to making GLLC-related bulletin boards and working closely with residential hall coordinators and the Office of AUS Sustainability to organize events.

“The GLLC fits well within our mission to create Living Learning Communities (LLC) where students can share common interests on various subjects. Research shows that having LLCs in the residential halls strengthens students’ sense of belonging at university. Naturally, there is much interest in climate action by the youth, and with the UAE hosting COP28, this is an important link for our students. The GLLC will empower students to make informed, impactful choices and develop personal living habits,” said Dr. Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo, Executive Director of Student Experience at AUS.

Members of the GLLC will have the opportunity to also take part in community service activities, such as working in the AUS community garden and the AUS Manbat Farmers’ Market, and other volunteer opportunities.

Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guide, the GLLC is organizing educational workshops by AUS faculty and staff throughout the semester that highlight the challenges and tools for a more sustainable world. Discussion sessions topics and speakers will include climate change, led by Dr. Fatin Samara, Professor in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences; water insecurity, led by Dr. Sandra Knuteson, Senior Lecturer in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences; fashion and consumerism, led by Dr. Rania Semaan, Associate Professor in Marketing and Information Systems; sustainable cities and communities, led by Camilo Cerro, Associate Professor in Architecture; good health and well-being, led by Nathalie Montoya Curabba, AUS Sustainability Coordinator; and reduced inequalities, led by Sana Sayed, Senior Instructor in English.

“I have been an eco-conscious person for a few years now, but it can be challenging to always incorporate sustainability into my daily life. I aim to learn more about sustainability on a budget and finding sustainable ways to be sustainable, especially that being a student means we need to rethink the way we use plastic, the food we eat and recycling. I hope to gain a stronger sense of community as part of the GLLC to make a difference. I would love to exchange knowledge and ideas regarding sustainability and living. I would also like to learn more about sustainability in the UAE through the discussions we would be participating in,” said AUS student Vibhuti Mathur.

As a member of the Universities Climate Network (UCN), a network comprising UAE-based universities and higher education institutions facilitating dialogues, workshops, public events and youth participation in the lead up to COP28, AUS has been rolling out activities through its several offices to raise awareness about the role of the youth in promoting sustainability and encouraging their participation in COP28 events.

UiTM Negeri Sembilan Visits the University of Hyogo, Japan for Potential Collaborations

Posted on by Muhammad Aidil Ibrahim, Mu'adz Ahmad Mazian

UiTM Cawangan Negeri Sembilan (UiTMCNS) has shown excellent performance in bridging collaborations with international bodies and continues to initiate more international research collaborations. One of the leading Universities in Japan, the University of Hyogo (UH) is known to actively promote joint research with other local and international academic institutions where the outcome is hoped to benefit the society at large. Thus, the collaboration between UiTMCNS and UH can be beneficial to both parties in achieving each other’s objectives.

A delegate from UiTMCNS visited UH back on June 2nd, 2023, and held a meeting session to discuss potential collaborations with the University. Both deputy rectors of UiTMCNS, Ts. Dr. Noorlis Ahmad and Dr. Siti Sara Ibrahim attended the meeting to present the proposal and discuss potential relationships and activities between the two prominent universities. The meeting was attended by Prof. Hideo Nishitani and Prof. Kohei Hatta as a representative of UH. The UiTMCNS delegate was also given a laboratory tour by the hosting staff members showcasing the current ongoing research that was being conducted using high-end instruments in UH.

The meeting session between UiTMCNS and UH was initiated by the appointment of Dr. Mu’adz Ahmad Mazian, a UiTMCNS senior lecturer as a two-month visiting researcher at the UH. Dr. Mu’adz was appointed to conduct research on elucidating the mechanisms of CRL4Cdt2 ubiquitin ligase that regulates the cell cycle along with the hosting university’s research team.

The delegate of UiTMCNS also took the opportunity to visit the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) which is the first in Japan, named SPring-8 Angstrom Compact Free Electron Laser (SACLA) located in the RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Harima Science Garden City, Japan. The state-of-the-art facility housed a number of research instruments that utilized the high electron energy primarily for protein structure characterizations.

The collaboration between UiTMCNS and UH could potentially result in a number of impactful research with the application of high-tech instruments especially the research instruments that are available in the RIKEN SPring-8 Center.

“Give Smiles, Not Gifts”: Chula’s Original Short Film Captures Graduates’ Perspective on Gifts for Graduation Day

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

The Office of Student Affairs and Chulalongkorn University Communication Center have collaborated to produce the original short film “Give Smiles, Not Gifts,” reflecting on what graduates would like for their graduation day under the concept “Heart is the best gift.” The film was produced to congratulate all of the 2022 graduates and promote the campaign to reduce the practice of giving extravagant gifts, such as flowers and balloons, to minimize waste generation, support environmental friendliness, and transform graduation celebrations into occasions for sharing smiles rather than receiving gifts.

The short film “Give Smiles, Not Gifts” was produced by Chatchai Kunponpitak and directed by Chatchai Prasertmak.  Both the director and production team have previously created short films about the Chula graduation ceremony. “Life of Kwan” and “The Gift,” produced by them for Chula’s graduation, won awards from the WINA World Independent Advertising Awards, a world-class advertising film competition, in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

To watch the short film, “Give Smiles, Not Gifts”, click here: https://youtu.be/G6IRt6GtpN0?si=ctJizaKVhkNlchRD

Extending the Playing Field for Organosulfurs: A New Way to Synthesize Sulfinate Esters

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Sulfinate esters, a type of organosulfur compounds, are typically synthesized using thiols. However, these substances are difficult to work with due to their unpleasant smell and oxidizability in air. Now, a research team has found a way to produce sulfinate esters through the direct oxidation of thioesters, which are easily accessible and stable. Their findings will help expand the field of organosulfur chemistry and hopefully lead to new applications in pharmaceuticals.

Organosulfur compounds are organic molecules that contain one or more sulfur atoms bonded to carbon atoms. They not only play fundamental roles in biological processes but also have wide applications in many industries, such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials science. Thus, many chemists strive to develop safe and efficient methods to synthesize organosulfurs.

The conventional approach to produce them involves the oxidation of molecules called thiols. However, working with thiols can be quite challenging. They have a strong and unpleasant odor and can be oxidized easily under air, which makes handling and storage difficult. These two issues have limited the availability of thiols with interesting functional groups, also hindering the production of different types of organosulfurs. But what if we could produce organosulfurs from less problematic chemicals?

In a recent study published in Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry on 11 August 2023, a research team from Japan has come up with a new approach to synthesize sulfinate esters, a subclass of organosulfur compounds, using thioesters. The research, led by Associate Professor Suguru Yoshida, is co-authored by Mr. Keisuke Nakamura, Ms. Yukiko Kumagai, Mr. Akihiro Kobayashi, and Ms. Minori Suzuki, all from Tokyo University of Science (TUS).

Thioesters have essentially the same chemical structure as esters, except that one or two oxygen atoms are replaced by sulfur atoms. Unlike thiols, thioesters are odorless, stable, and easily accessible, which makes them easier to work with. These advantages motivated the research team to develop an efficient synthesis route for the synthesis of sulfinate esters via direct oxidation of thioesters.

They first prepared a desired thioester molecule from an aryl iodide composed of an aryl group bound to an iodine atom. Using a copper-containing catalyst, the researchers managed to strip the iodine atom from the aryl group and replace it with a carbon–sulfur bond, forming a thioester. Afterwards, the thioester was directly oxidized in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide, which created an intricate reaction pathway culminating with the formation of a sulfinate ester.

This two-step synthesis technique is efficient and straightforward. Most importantly, it carries the potential to produce various sulfinate esters from easily available starting materials, including carboxylic acids, anilines, and a wide variety of aryl iodides. “Compared to conventional preparation methods of sulfinate esters from other sulfur surrogates, the superior accessibility of aryl iodides from a wide variety of aromatic compounds will enable the synthesis of highly functionalized sulfinate esters,” remarks Dr. Yoshida.

Overall, the method proposed in this study will greatly bolster research on new organosulfurs, leading to promising applications in many fields. For example, sulfinate esters are used in the synthesis of sulfonamide-containing compounds, which have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory activities. They are also used to produce drugs with sulfoxide groups, which can have various biological activities, including anti-clotting and anti-acid effects. Moreover, sulfinate esters can help synthesize functional polymers and agrochemicals and serve as reagents in analytical chemistry techniques to detect the presence of specific compounds or functional groups.

With eyes on the future, Dr. Yoshida concludes: “Further studies towards finding applications for the preparation of bioactive organosulfur derivatives, as well as the synthesis of bis-sulfinate esters, are underway in our laboratory.”

Let us hope that this study opens up new possibilities for organosulfurs.

From parity to planet

Posted on by Christine Amour-Levar

What does it mean to empower and educate a woman in today’s environment? By changing one woman’s world, we are setting the stage for a more equitable, greener future for all.

I sometimes like to reflect on when my fervour for women’s empowerment and environmental conservation first took root. I grew up in the Philippines surrounded by very strong female role models, my Chinese Filipina Grandmother who lived until 101 was the matriarch of our family. She had seven children, one son and six daughters, my mother was her fourth child. As a result, growing up amidst my mother’s entrepreneurial sisters gave me a distinct outlook on life.

You may have heard that the Philippines is often described as a nation of driven women, who directly and indirectly run the family units, businesses, government agencies and haciendas or plantation estates. You must remember, we’ve had two women presidents. And the Philippines is also one of the most gender-equal societies in the world, in fact in Asia Pacific it is on par with New Zealand in terms of gender equality. However, I also became aware of poverty and the great inequality that surrounded me at a very early age. The Philippines has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the world, and even if Filipinos are known as some of the happiest people, the Philippines is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Close to 20 percent of the 110 million population, live under the poverty line.

To top it off, the Philippines is one of the most hazard-exposed countries in the world. When we were children, my siblings and I constantly missed school because of floods, earthquakes, typhoons and volcanic eruptions. The country is especially vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters and climate change, because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Every time a natural disaster hits, it completely devastates the poor populations. This was really heartbreaking to see, and made me realise first-hand, how climate really impacts impoverished and vulnerable populations.

Mum used to involve us in charitable community activities, especially those supporting women and children, and taught my siblings and me a very important lesson: that privilege comes with great responsibility – values that I strive to live by and pass onto my own four children today.

My own journey since then, as the founder of initiatives such as Women on a Mission, HER Planet Earth, Investors for Climate, has been a testament to my belief in the transformative power of women in shaping our world’s future. ‘From Parity to Planet’ is not merely a topic for me; it’s a lived experience, an ongoing commitment that I carry very close to my heart, endeavouring to align my actions with my values every step of the way.

Over the years, I’ve witnessed, first-hand, women taking the helm—driving change, inspiring communities, and, above all, never taking ‘no’ for an answer. Despite our numerous achievements, the scales of representation are often imbalanced, particularly in pivotal roles that decide the trajectory of our planet.

In my observations, what makes women’s leadership invaluable? It’s our inherent ability to blend empathy with action. Women grasp the beauty of balance in nature, recognizing that every aspect of our environment, from the tiniest microorganism to vast landscapes, has a role to play.

Globally, women stand tall as stewards of the Earth. They are the farmers ensuring the continuity of fertile land, the CEOs advocating for green policies, and the mothers instilling eco-conscious values in the young minds they nurture.

Yet, understanding these stories isn’t enough. As we address the climate crisis, the convergence of gender and education becomes paramount. Access to higher education offers women the tools to understand, innovate and tackle complex environmental issues. An educated woman is equipped to not only comprehend these challenges but to also design sustainable solutions rooted in local contexts.

Reflecting on gender-smart climate finance, my vision is clear. I dream of a world where women aren’t merely recipients of aid but active contributors to decision-making processes. A world where climate finance is multidimensional, considering race, age, socio-economic status, and, above all, education.

These past 12 years, through the work of my two NGOs, Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth, I’ve had the great privilege of taking hundreds of women on challenging, often pioneering expeditions that really push them outside of their comfort zone. These expeditions have been to raise awareness and funds for vulnerable women.

Without a doubt, one of the most important lessons from this unusual journey for me has been that true success and leadership is not about yielding power or being in charge. It is about lifting others up and helping them progress. Put simply, our success should not be measured by how much we have achieved in life, but by how well we advance the lives of others along the way.

Through my travels, I’ve also gained a much better understanding of the issues women face around the world because of the gender inequality that still exists today. It is true that women are disproportionately affected and more vulnerable when it comes to armed conflict, sexual violence, climate change and even pandemics. However, what is encouraging and inspiring to me, is that all the data points to the fact that women are a huge part of the solution. And the more we empower, educate and invest in women, the better it bodes for the world.

To illustrate this, let me share a short story with you. One of the most satisfying moments in the last few years for me was not on a trek or an expedition, it was on a visit to Rwanda in Africa in November 2017. I was there to see the work of one of my charity partners, Women for Women International. Rwanda is a fascinating country that has risen from the ashes of a civil war and genocide, to become one of the fastest growing economies on the African continent.

While I was there, one graduate from a programme we funded, looked me in the eye and said proudly: “I am no longer poor. I can now support my family by making bricks as part of my cooperative. My children go to school, and we have enough to eat. I have you and your team of women to thank for my good fortune.”

Her honesty and gratitude moved me, but it was her confidence and her resilience that inspired me deeply. The women we met in Rwanda are courageous, determined, hardworking survivors of a decimated generation. And I really saw first-hand how empowering and supporting women helps them grow stronger and more resilient and the ripple effects it has on their communities and on their nation.

In nearly three decades since Rwanda’s genocide and civil war, its education sector has undergone reconstruction to an unprecedented degree within higher education with greater numbers of girls attending university, and more women becoming university faculty members. In fact, today Rwanda has 64 percent of its seats in parliament held by women, leading the world in female representation. Now if Rwanda can do that, any country can!

Rwanda’s story opened my eyes to the fact that so many women around the world, still today, have no voice. They are deprived of the most basic freedom: the right to live in peace and happiness with their loved ones, the right to education and self-accomplishment, the right to live with respect and decency, the right to dream – even. This is why I am so passionately driven to support women and girls whenever I can.

In conclusion, our journey from parity to planet is intertwined with the stories, dreams and aspirations of women worldwide. As I’ve observed in my own endeavours, when you empower and educate a woman, you’re not just changing her world; you’re setting the stage for a more equitable, greener future for all. Indeed, the time to invest in women, in their dreams and education, is now.

Read the full article from QS Insights Magazine, Issue 8. 

Bengawan Formula Student Team from UNS Wins Champion at FSAE Japan 2023

Posted on by Editorial Team

The Bengawan Formula Student Team, representing Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), recently secured 3rd place in the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Award category at the annual FSAE Japan 2023 event. The competition, a spotlight for electric car enthusiasts and innovators, took place between 28 August and 2 September 2023. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc., the event saw participation from 77 teams across six nations: Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, and Taiwan.

FSAE Japan challenges participating teams to design and manufacture a formula race car. Tegar Aryoseno, the team leader and a student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, clarified the competition’s structure. According to him, the event was divided into static and dynamic segments. The static section focuses on business plans, cost and manufacturing reports, design presentations, and technical inspections. On the other hand, the dynamic events test the vehicles through acceleration, skid pad, autocross, endurance, and efficiency challenges.

An additional layer to this competition is the special award categories, with the CAE Awards being particularly notable. Designed to acknowledge teams that excel in using CAE technology for innovative and efficient designs, the CAE Awards stand as a testament to modern engineering’s prowess.

Aryoseno expressed profound joy and gratitude for the team’s victory, especially noting that the team had taken a three-year hiatus. “It’s a significant achievement for us. Even though we had a break for three years, we managed to stand out amongst 76 other teams from diverse universities and nations. The journey was demanding, yet, with unwavering support from UNS, our sponsors, and all associated parties, we emerged victorious,” he remarked.

Aryoseno further recognized the immense dedication and tireless effort of his team, which had been preparing for this competition throughout the past year. The team benefited from the expertise of their mentors: Professor Ubaidillah, Professor Agung Tri Wijayanta, and Professor Syamsul Hadi from the Faculty of Engineering.

The victory of the Bengawan Formula Student Team from UNS at the FSAE Japan 2023 reiterates the potential and brilliance of young engineers and offers a glimpse into the future of automotive innovation.

When an international student isn’t an international student

Posted on by Niamh Ollerton

The realities of international student visa fraud have caused many governments to start cracking down on unsuspecting prospective students and universities. The United States, Australia and Canada are some of the countries which have tightened their rules to deal with such cases.

The chance to be immersed in a new culture, learn a language or travel the world is understandably enticing. However, with international fees, cost of living increases and the expense of physically travelling to faraway lands, this dream isn’t always realised. But for the students that can take that leap of faith, the rewards, both for their personal and educational development, are endless.

However, not all students have genuine motivations to study abroad, with some students falsifying applications about their level of English and some abandoning their university studies altogether to pursue work. Other, unsuspecting students also become embroiled in fraudulent scams.

For example, the F-1 visa programme allowing international students to work at firms in the US after graduation has been exploited by fake companies providing false employment verifications, according to an NBC News/NBC Bay Area report.

Once they have obtained their professional degrees, students may remain in the US through the F-1 visa programme to get practical work experience. Although many students, schools and employers use the programme legitimately, a federal prosecution revealed the potential for fraud, with a defendant, the founder of bogus company ‘Findreams’, admitting in court papers she had provided false employment records for nearly 2,700 students.

Governments across the globe have become savvy to the lengths supposed students and fraudsters will go to commit visa fraud, and they are cracking down.

In August, the Australian government said it would close a loophole – effective immediately – in its visa rules which allowed international students to enrol for cheaper vocational courses as soon as they arrive in country. Through the ‘concurrent study’ rule, international students could undertake additional courses alongside their core studies, essentially helping students prepare for the job market through short courses.

However, recent investigations in the country found that many students were misusing the rule and dropping out of their university courses to permanently switch to cheaper ones. Data from the investigation found a sharp uptake in the use of concurrent study, with 17,000 concurrent enrolments created in the first half of 2023 versus 10,500 for the same period in 2019 and 2022 combined.

Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement: “This change will work to stop predatory ‘second’ providers from enrolling students before they have studied for the required six months at their first provider.”

But this isn’t the only change the Australian government plans to make surrounding student visas. From October 1, 2023, the government will also increase the amount of savings international students will need to get a student visa. Depending on their institution and country of origin, foreign students will need to declare or provide evidence of having AU$24,505 (US$15,693) in savings, a 17 percent increase on current levels due to higher living expenses in the country.

Policing student visa applications is no easy task, and unfortunately, some prospective students attempt to trick the system to land a spot on a university programme with no intention of studying at all.

Read the full article from QS Insights Magazine, Issue 8. 

EdUHK Research on Developing and Validating a Student Feedback Literacy Scale

Posted on by eduhk

Although the importance of investigating the enabling role of student feedback literacy has been widely covered in the literature, a measurement instrument is still lacking. A study by Dr Jane Zhan Ying, Assistant Professor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, used a construct validation approach to validate the self-developed student feedback literacy scale, with two types of examinations: within- and between-network examinations. Within-network examinations use reliability and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) to explore the dimensional structure of the scale. Between-network examination performs correlation analyses to investigate the correlation between the scale and other constructs theoretically related to the scale.

Previous research has found that at the very beginning of the feedback process, students must actively elicit feedback from others; comprehend the feedback received, judge its quality and extract information to enable subsequent action; and take actions to revise their work. Feedback can help them better understand their learning by identifying their learning strengths and weaknesses from the perspectives of others, learning from others, and enhancing their self-reflection. They must be emotionally ready to engage with feedback (readiness to engage). And they must devote their time and effort to making changes in their learning and strive to continuously improve by conquering difficulties and finding extra support or resources. Based on the literature review, the author constructed six dimensions of student feedback literacy: three related to the students’ capacity to elicit, process and enact feedback; and three related to the students’ disposition in terms of appreciation of feedback, readiness to engage and commitment to change.

In this study, the author issued the developed 24-item student feedback literacy questionnaire to 555 university student participants in mainland China to validate the scale. Both confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale was valid and that its structure was stable among students of different genders and in different majors. The between-network analysis presented a significant correlation between the six dimensions of student feedback literacy and students’ intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation.

Future studies could use the validated scale in this study to capture its temporal changes or explore the complex relationships between student feedback literacy and its influencing factors. It will enable higher-education teachers to systematically analyse student feedback literacy, such as the critical development period and possibly unbalanced development. This will help teachers reflect on their current feedback practices to see whether they create conditions conducive to the development of targeted aspects of student feedback literacy and what measures they can apply to facilitate its development.

ITS Students Gain International Recognition Through Internship in a Japanese Company

Posted on by ITS Global Engagement

Six students from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS Surabaya) are currently working as young engineers at the renowned shipyard company, Oshima Shipbuilding, one of Japan’s prestigious shipyard companies. The six ITS students are Jemima Audrey Natasha, Putra Nanda Kusuma, and Hans Dimitri from the Department of Naval Architecture, Hamzah Nur Azzam from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Galang Adi Saputro from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Agung Tuani Hartono Sihotang from the Department of Marine Engineering.

The head of the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS, Ir. Wasis Dwi Aryawan, M.Sc., Ph.D., explained that this internship program is a collaboration between the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS and the international company. Furthermore, Dr. Wasis mentioned that this program also offers opportunities to students from other departments. “This is in line with Oshima Shipbuilding’s request,” he stated. Therefore, a series of internal selections were conducted to identify the best-qualified students for this opportunity, led by Erzad Iskandar Putra, S.T., M.T., of the Student Advisory Team in the Department of Naval Architecture at ITS. Students from various departments competed for this opportunity through a selection process that included document screening and interviews with industry representatives, as Erzad explained.

Through this selection process, Erzad continued, six ITS students were ultimately chosen to participate in a one-month internship program in Japan. They departed on August 19, and by now, these six students have gained valuable knowledge and received positive evaluations from the company. “In fact, we have received news that they will be permanently employed there,” he exclaimed. During this internship program, the students have also received a salary and living allowances in Japan. Although they had to complete the internship for one month, they were also given the opportunity to attend their graduation ceremony at ITS in mid and late September.

In this regard, Dr. Wasis expressed his pride. According to him, this opportunity is proof that ITS graduates have internationally recognized competencies. Not only that, through this internship program, it is hoped that knowledge exchange can contribute to advancing the shipbuilding industry in Indonesia. In conclusion, Dr. Wasis hopes that this program will continue in the future. He believes that, in addition to the benefits mentioned above, this program can also enhance the branding of ITS and demonstrate that its graduates possess skills equivalent to those in other developed countries. Dr. Wasis also hopes that this program will not only focus on the shipbuilding industry but also extend to other industries.

KATRU, SAAS sign comprehensive Agri-MoU under ‘One Belt-One Road’ initiative

Posted on by Muhammad Sheraz

A new milestone was achieved under China’s ’One Belt – One Road’ initiative when the Kazakh capital’s oldest university, the Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU) in Astana, and the Government of Shandong Province agreed on close and comprehensive cooperation in various areas of the food and agriculture sector. The mutual collaboration will include the establishment of joint Agrotechnical parks, research centers, mutual technology and expertise transfers, application of Chinese processing technologies, and cultivation methods in Kazakhstan as well as the introduction of each other’s agriculture varieties in both countries.

A detailed MoU between KATRU, also known as Seifullin University and Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS) was signed in Kazakhstan’s largest city and business hub, Almaty, in the presence of Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Karashukeev and Mr. Lin Wu, the Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Province.

KATRU Rector Professor Kanat Maratovich Tireuov and China’s Party Secretary of the SAAS, Mr. Liang Jinguang, signed the MoU.

“Based on the agricultural technology advantages of the two sides, research institutes in wheat, corn, sleep, cotton, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, agricultural processing, and other fields will be established to conduct joint research and promote demonstrations,” reads one clause of the MoU.

As the MOU between KATRU and SAAS was signed in Almaty, a large delegation of the Shandong Provincial government led by Tian Weidun, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Dezhou City, Shandong, visited KATRU’s main campus in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

Shandong is a coastal province in Eastern China, a well-developed agro-industrial region known since ancient times as a major grain producer with large grain storage facilities. Dezhou City is a tourist center with a rich history and cultural heritage sites. It is in the northwest of the Shandong Province.

The largest potato cultivation corporation in China, “Shisіn,” has been collaborating with KATRU since 2017, implementing joint scientific projects under the ‘One Belt – One Road’ initiative, resulting in the registration and cultivation of two new potato varieties in Kazakhstan.

Both sides agreed to establish a joint research center for potato breeding and seed production at KATRU. Mutual research projects, academic exchanges, and training programs are part of the agreement between the Kazakh Agrotechnical University (KATRU) and the government of Shandong Province China, and KATRU and Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.