IPB Cooperates with Japan to Develop an Intelligent Environmental Monitoring System
A delegation from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) which consisted of the Rector of IPB – Dr. Arif Satria, Chair of the IPB Board of Trustees (MWA) – Prof. MA Chozin, Head of Sub Directorate of the International Program Services, Directorate of International Programs – Dr. Sintho Wahyuning Ardie visited the Japanese National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Tsukuba as part of collaborative visit series to a number of institutions in Japan on Tuesday, 23 October 2018. This meeting was also intended as a return visit after the visit of NIES to IPB in August 2018. Dr. Alinda FM Zain, the Educational Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Japan, accompanied the IPB delegation during the visit.
The delegation from IPB was welcomed by Dr. Chiho Watanabe – President of NIES, Dr. Tsuyoshi Fujita – Director for the Center for Social and Environmental System Research, Dr. Shoji F. Nakayama – Head, Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, Dr. Manabu Onuma – Senior Researcher at the Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, and Dr. Shuichi Ashina – Manager of International Coordination Office. The discussion during this visit focused on "Smart Eco-monitoring System for Low Carbon Society", "Genetic Resource Bank for Endangered Species in Asia", and "Japan Environment and Chlidren's Study (JECS)".
Delegates had the opportunity to visit the Time Capsule Gene Bank installation – a germplasm preservation unit with cryopreservation technology in NIES. The effort to build a Gene Bank is important because Indonesia is very rich in biodiversity that must be conserved. The collaboration between IPB and NIES is also conducted in order to accelerate the establishment of IPB Green Campus 2020. Both institutions agree to develop an Intelligent Environmental Monitoring System that is very significant in facing future challenges. NIES has provided a number of monitoring tools and has been collaborating with the CCROM of IPB.
On the same day, the delegation also made an honorary visit to the University of Tokyo, Japan. This visit aimed to strengthen cooperation that has lasted more than 30 years between IPB and the University of Tokyo. The IPB delegation was welcomed by Dr. Takeshi Tange – Dean of the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Toru Fujiwara – Head of Office for International Cooperation & Exchange, and Prof. Tetsuo Takano – Director for the Asian Natural Environmental Science Center. The discussion focused on strengthening the existing cooperation between the two institutions, namely in the fields of academic and research, especially on smart agriculture and genetic engineering. (SWA/ZSP)
