BOGOR, 5 September 2024 – SEAMEO BIOTROP hosts the signing of the Agro-Eco-Edu Tourism plaque by the Secretary of Directorate General for Higher Education, Prof. Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie. The signing took place at SEAMEO BIOTROP’s main campus in Bogor, during a coordination meeting focusing on optimizing partnership management and financial governance. Representatives from three SEAMEO Centers—BIOTROP, SEAMOLEC, and RECFON—participated in this high-level discussion alongside officials from the Directorate General for Higher Education.

Dr. Zulhamsyah Imran, Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, emphasizing the need for a more flexible governance structure. He stated, "The dual status of SEAMEO Centers, being governed both by SEAMEO and the Indonesian government, limits our flexibility, particularly in generating income outside the national budget. Solutions must be found to address this challenge."

Funding mechanisms for the centers were also a crucial issue. It was noted that PTNBH (State-Owned Legal Entity Universities) offers flexibility, including opportunities for investment-based partnerships. Dr. Zulhamsyah highlighted that while PTNBH institutions were open to housing SEAMEO Centers, they required guaranteed funding.

A proposed solution was the separation of activities funded by the state budget (DIPA) from non-DIPA activities, allowing SEAMEO Centers to pursue external income without conflicting with public finance regulations. Dr. Zulhamsyah added, "BIOTROP has faced challenges in maintaining laboratory performance due to funding limitations, and this separation could help."

Another critical topic was the need to streamline partnerships, especially those with international institutions. Several directors expressed their takes on the partnership and collaboration policies. Dr. Wahyudi, Director of SEAMOLEC, noted, “SEAMOLEC has been able to serve various education levels, but the we need to expand the collaborations to the regional level with more flexibility, especially when we aims to partner with partnering universities.”

The meeting concluded with the proposal to allow SEAMEO Centers more autonomy in partnership agreements. This includes the ability to sign Memoranda of Agreement (MoA) with foreign partners, pending approval from relevant Indonesian authorities.

The participants agreed on the need for further discussions on human resources, particularly the recruitment of researchers. Dr. Zulhamsyah expressed concern, stating, "The number of researchers and human resources at SEAMEO Centre is crucial for its development."

Looking ahead, SEAMEO BIOTROP will continue to refine its operational model to enhance its financial sustainability and international collaborations while remaining aligned with the mandates of both SEAMEO and the Indonesian government.

This signing ceremony marks a significant milestone for SEAMEO BIOTROP, reinforcing its commitment to fostering agro-eco-education through innovative and sustainable approaches.