Strengthening Industry Collaboration, UNU Jogja Visits PT Sarihusada Generasi Mahardhika

Klaten, Central Java – The academic community of UNU Jogja paid a courtesy visit to PT Sarihusada Generasi Mahardhika on Monday (16/2). The visit aimed to strengthen collaboration between higher education institutions and industry.

The delegation was welcomed by Syarif Karnadi (Facility & Service, Stakeholder and Compliance Manager East), followed by a factory introduction session delivered by Riesa Ayuningtyas (Performance & Digital Manager East) along with the company’s technical team.

The Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Social Transformation of UNU Jogja, Suhadi, Ph.D., stated that the visit reflects leadership support for directors, lecturers, researchers, and students who will further develop collaboration with Sarihusada–Danone Klaten.

“It is also an honor for UNU Jogja, as PT Sarihusada–Danone Klaten received UNU Jogja as the first university to conduct such a visit,” he remarked.

Suhadi explained that the visit serves as a follow-up to UNU Jogja’s collaboration, through the PBNU–Danone Memorandum of Understanding, in the Expert Exchange program in the fields of food, nutrition, and halal industry, previously conducted in Egypt and Turkey in 2025.

“We hope this collaboration will continue in the future and bring broader benefits to society, particularly in the areas of food, nutrition, halal industry, and the environment,” he added.

Sukamto, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D., a lecturer from the Department of Agricultural Product Technology (THP), emphasized that the visit is highly relevant to the department’s academic focus, especially in dairy product processing. He also identified opportunities for further collaboration in transforming waste into value-added products.

“The company has utilized rice husk waste as fuel in its production process. However, the by-product in the form of rice husk ash has not been optimally utilized. This opens opportunities for collaboration with the THP Department, which has expertise not only in food product development but also in agricultural waste processing,” he explained.

According to him, this aligns with the department’s focus on biomass waste processing into economically valuable products.

“We plan to explore cooperation in developing the utilization of rice husk ash, for example as raw material for packaging or other environmentally friendly materials,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Duana Siska Mawardi, a student from the Electrical Engineering Department, said the visit broadened students’ understanding of the skills required in the professional world.

She expressed hope that collaboration between the university and industry will continue through more student-involved programs, such as internships, training, and industry-based classes, to better prepare graduates for the workforce.

The Director of the Social Laboratory of UNU Jogja and coordinator of the visit, Joko Susilo, added that the visit will be followed up with workshops involving study programs, faculties, and relevant directorates to formulate concrete collaboration plans, ensuring that university–industry partnership opportunities are maximized.

“PT Sarihusada Generasi Mahardhika is part of Danone Specialized Nutrition, one of the largest and oldest nutrition product manufacturers in Indonesia, focusing on providing nutrition for mothers and children and implementing various social impact programs. From this partnership, we have the opportunity to maximize collaboration in research, development, and community service for both lecturers and students of UNU Jogja, in line with our commitment to achieving Superior Institutional Accreditation,” he explained.

Furthermore, PT SGM has opened internship opportunities for UNU Jogja students. In addition to strong academic competence, the company seeks students who are agile, dynamic, adaptable in various conditions, capable problem solvers, and skilled in data and trend analysis, including design thinking. [Latifah]