SEAMEO BIOTROP participated in the Inter-Centre Collaboration Meeting (ICCM) held in Yogyakarta on July 11-12, 2024, at Gamma Room BBGP-DIY. The event was attended by various SEAMEO Centres, including SEAQIM, SEAQIL, SEAQIS, SEAMEO CECCEP, and SEAMEO RECFON, and was filled with a spirit of collaboration.

In the opening ceremony, Dr. Sumardyono, Director of SEAMEO QITEP in Mathematics (SEAQIM), emphasized the importance of enhancing inter-centre collaboration to achieve common goals. The first day of ICCM featured presentations of program achievements from each centre and discussions on potential collaborations, including plans to hold an international conference in Yogyakarta and cooperation with the ASEAN China Centre (ACC).

The second day began with a follow-up discussion on public relations for SEAMEO Centres in Indonesia, attended by Siwi Lungit from TVRI Yogyakarta. She highlighted the importance of open collaboration with all SEAMEO Centres. The in-depth discussion on public relations collaboration continued with the initiation of cooperation with SEA-TODAY, strengthening networks between SEAMEO Centres and external parties.

In addition to discussions and presentations, ICCM 2024 was enlivened by inter-centre sports competitions, including badminton, futsal, and table tennis. SEAMEO BIOTROP showcased outstanding performance in the sports competitions. Their futsal team won second place, while the women's doubles badminton team secured third place. These achievements reflect not only academic and research excellence but also high spirits of sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Representatives of SEAMEO BIOTROP expressed their pride in these achievements and committed to further strengthening collaboration with other centres. "This achievement is the result of the hard work of the team and the support of all SEAMEO BIOTROP members. We will continue to strive to contribute more in every future collaboration opportunity," said a member of the futsal team.

As ICCM 2024 concludes, SEAMEO BIOTROP hopes to carry this spirit of collaboration and achievement into all upcoming programs and activities, aiming to achieve shared goals in tropical biology education and research in ASEAN. (dy)