The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology has urged universities to produce innovations such as the Gadjahmada Airport Transporter Electric (GATe), an electric car produced by Gadjah Mada University (UGM).
"These innovations, produced through collaboration between universities and industry, are a part of the Kampus Merdeka (Freedom Campus) program," the ministry's university director-general, Nizam, noted in a written statement issued here on Tuesday.
The innovation-producing collaboration will proceed well if it is supported by the government, as in the case of GATe, where the Ministry of Transportation helped promote the work of Indonesian citizens, he said.
"Innovations should be promoted. If not, they will only be ornaments during exhibition. I laud the Minister of Transportation who cares about works from universities," he remarked.
Examples of innovations produced by universities include the GATe, which will be utilized as a transportation vehicle at Yogyakarta International Airport and Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Nizam said.
The GATe electric car is also planned to be used to support next year's G20 Presidency, he informed. Currently, GATe prototypes have been tested at several locations, such as UGM, Yogyakarta International Airport, and Borobudur Temple, he added.
Another innovation in the transportation sector has come from Diponegoro University (Undip), which has developed the Bio Smart and Safe Bus, he said.
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The vehicle was developed through cooperation between Undip and PO Sumber Alam and funded through the Matching Fund and Kedaireka program, he added.
The smart bus is claimed to be a safe mass transportation vehicle because it is equipped with HEPA filters and UV light to minimize coronavirus spread, he said.
Nizam said he expects many more collaborations between universities and the industry.
In addition, support from the government, especially sectoral ministries, would help optimize innovations from universities and produce domestic products that could advance the nation, he added.
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Editor : Mahdani
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