InfoSAWIT, SURAKARTA – The Faculty of Agriculture (FP) at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta has officially signed a Cooperation Agreement with PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Tbk (PT SMART Tbk). This collaboration represents a commitment from both institutions to develop the palm oil industry in Indonesia.
The signing was conducted by FP UNS Dean, Prof. Samanhudi, alongside the Head of HR Central Business Services (Directorate Representative) of PT SMART Tbk, Lilianawati. The event was also attended by Yudi Heriyadi, Lead HRBP Upstream Operations, Tiara Aninditia, Development Program Recruiter Team Lead, and Pradjna Dewi Y., HR Staff and Employer Branding. From UNS, the event was attended by the Non-Academic Vice Dean of FP UNS, Prof. Mujiyo, Academic Vice Dean, Dr. Gusti Fauza, and several heads of undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs within FP UNS. The signing took place in person at the Supratoyo Building Meeting Room of FP UNS last Thursday.
In her remarks, Lilianawati expressed hope that this collaboration would provide opportunities for students to join the programs offered by PT SMART Tbk. "Through this program, students will receive training that allows them to earn a Golden Ticket to become employees in our company," she stated, as reported by InfoSAWIT from the official website of the Faculty of Agriculture UNS on Thursday (March 6, 2025).
Furthermore, she emphasized that this collaboration is expected to benefit both parties. "I hope that in the future, there will be more collaborative programs between campuses and companies to meet the workforce needs, especially for graduates from UNS," she added.
Meanwhile, Dean Prof. Samanhudi welcomed this collaboration and emphasized that the agreement is a follow-up to a previous visit by the UNS team to PT SMART Tbk. "We are pleased that higher education institutions are given the opportunity to collaborate with the industry. This is very important as universities are currently required to establish communication and collaboration with the industrial world," he stated.
He also emphasized that FP UNS is ready to support the palm oil sector in Indonesia by preparing curricula and internship programs for students. "The palm oil industry in Indonesia requires a large workforce. If we do not balance this by providing suitable human resources, we will not be able to compete with other universities. Therefore, FP UNS will begin preparing special courses on palm oil and increasing the number of students interning at palm oil companies," he explained.
The collaboration between UNS and PT SMART Tbk is a tangible proof that higher education institutions support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 17, which is 'Partnerships for the Goals.' (T2)
