NIES and FOERDIA sign a Memorandum of Understanding for comprehensive research cooperation

National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), in collaboration with Indonesian universities (Bogor agricultural University and Bandung Institute of Technology) has been conducting research related to low carbon strategies. The partnership with FOERDIA is intended to build upon existing research between the two, and to support the science-policy interface to realize a low carbon society in Indonesia. In order to further enhance the research collaboration with Indonesian institutions, NIES and FOERDIA have signed a MoU for comprehensive research cooperation.

FOERDIA was founded in 1829 and was later designated as a research institution with the title “Bosbouw Proef Station Voor Het Boswezen”. This institution changed its name several times, and in January 2015, with the merger of Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Forestry, it became the “Forestry and Environment Research, Development and Innovation Agency”. The research carried out by FOERDIA includes topics related to environmental and forestry issues. The scientific staff working in FOERDIA are comprised of experts spanning the fields of conservation, pathology, forest engineering/technology to social, economics and policy. All these elements contribute to the overall vision of FOREDIA.

The signing ceremony between NIES and FOERDIA was held on October 8, 2015 on the premises of FOERDIA office in Serpong, Indonesia. The MoU was officially concluded and approved by the representatives of both institutes, Prof. Akimasa Sumi, President of NIES, and Dr Henry Bastaman, Director General of FOERDIA.

On the same day, NIES and FOERDIA jointly organized an International Symposium. Experts and policy-makers from both countries gathered together in order to share and exchange the current knowledge, and discuss the challenges and the direction of future collaboration in the field of environmental and forestry research. The presentations were framed under three main research themes, namely (1) Interactive eco-action research, (2) Global monitoring network, and (3) Eco-technology development. The topics discussed include GHG emissions assessment, energy efficiency, environmental index, waste management, ozone layer, and so on. A panel discussion session chaired by Prof. Tsuyoshi Fujita (Director, Center for Social and Environmental Systems Research, NIES) and Dr. Wahyu Marjaka (Head of Research and Development Quality and Environmental Laboratory, FOERDIA) summarized the outcomes of the symposium and possible thematic areas the two institutions can further collaborate. Approximately 150 Indonesian and 20 Japanese attended the symposium, and participated in the active discussions.

Dr. Minoru Fujii