Starting from  year 2021, SEAMEO BIOTROP launches  a new programme called BtS (BIOTROP to School). The programme aims to disseminate knowledge and build capacities of students in highschools and universities through a series of webinar. With this program, BIOTROP is proving its intention to  get closer to schools, universities, as well as community and student organizations.  BIOTROP collaboratively holds webinars with those stakeholders.  

The concept of Industry 4.0 has triggered the birth of Society 5.0. Education is one of the keys to assure the Indonesian young generation is ready to become key players in the Society 5.0 and face the new era of Industry 4.0. The Society 5.0, or is generally called super smart society, is  meant to position people as the ultimate component in the industrial revolution. In the Society 5.0  people are no longer a passive component.  People are the ultimate Human Capital.  In order to elevate the function of people, at least three capabilities have to be elevated, i.e. 1) capability for solving complex issues and for being problem solvers for themselves and other people; 2) capability for critically thinking in dealing with communities, for having social sensitivities; and 3) capability for being creative in any situations.  To elevate the people's capabilities, it is very important to provide education in various fields as well as to embrace stakeholders and various student and community organizations.  The education is necessary to minimize the knowledge gaps among groups of people in the society.

As the real action to support the human resource capacity building starting from schools toward the Era of Society 5.0 and Industry 4.0,  SEAMEO BIOTROP carries  out proactive steps by holding two webinars under the BtS Programme as follows:

The Webinar on Tissue Culture Techniques as a Source of Plant Seedlings was held on 15 January 2021, in collaboration with the Indonesia-Venezuela Polytechnic School (Poliven).  The objective of this webinar was to share knowledge on how to carry out plant propagation using tissue culture technique.  The resource person was Dr Erina Sulistiani, an expert on tissue culture technique from SEAMEO BIOTROP.  The webinar was actively joined by 100 participants consisted of students and lecturers from the Poliven.  At the end of the webinar, it is proposed to conduct mutual visit between SEAMEO BIOTROP and the Poliven.

This webinar was held in collaboration with the Botani Sharia Financing Bank (BPRS Botani) and the Islamic Student Organization of Bogor Branch (HMI Bogor Branch) on 16 January 2021 and was participated by 28 participants.  The topic was chosen to encourage Islamic students in elevating their capabilities to face the challenges in this millenial industrial era, especially the capabilities for being critical and creative.  The webinar materials and resource persons were: 1) A Challenge of Character Education during Pandemic and in Industrial Era 4.0 (Dr Alpha Amirrachman, MPhil, PhD, Director of SEAMEO SEAMOLEC represented by Ms Aline Alamandha); 2) SMART Student toward Agro-Maritime 4.0 (Dr Zulhamsyah Imran, Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP); 3) HMI for Indonesia (Mr Muhammad Nurul Hadi; Chairman of the Islamic Student Organization Bogor Branch).  The webinar resulted in initiating collaborative long-distance learning among SEAMEO BIOTROP, SEAMEO SEAMOLEC and the Islamic Student Organization.  The collaboration will include activities to stimulate student's critical thinking and creativities. (sis/rf)