Three officials from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia discussed collaborative research and capacity building options with BIOTROP on addressing land and forest fires during their visit to the Centre on 18 November 2014.
 
The team was composed of Dr. Kirrilee Hughes, Deputy Director-Indonesian Affairs of UNSW International Office; Dr. Scott Mooney, Associate Professor from the School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences of the Faculty of Sciences; and Ms. Kate Smart, International Development Manager, UNSW Faculty of Science.

During the meeting, the UNSW team shared their past and current research and  training activities related to environment  and environmental changes that impact on human life specifically land and forest fires.   In the same manner, BIOTROP Director Prof. Dr. Bambang Purwantara oriented the team on the Centre’s research program thrusts and its ongoing discussions with other academic institutions from United Kingdom, United States of America, Sweden, and Australia to undertake collaborative forest fire research and capacity building activities in 2015.  The two parties agreed to pursue and discuss further the collaborative options including facilitating student and staff exchange involving BIOTROP’s Master Degree Program on Information Technology for Natural Resources Management with the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).

The visit was also a part of UNSW’s aim to increase its academic and research engagements in Indonesia. UNSW has established collaboration with the Institute for Education Fund Management (LPDP) of the Ministry of Finance and the Directorate of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia.  This collaboration now benefits 15 Indonesian students who are currently enrolled at UNSW.  The university has also recently established partnership with the Bogor-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on forest conservation.