Toward an "Urban Mining" Research and Talent Center in the Asia-Pacific Region: UNU-Jogja and GEM-China Prepare Future Faculty of Metallurgy

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - Together with GEM Co. Ltd., an environmentally friendly energy company based in China, UNU Jogja held a workshop on establishing the UNU Jogja Faculty of Future Metallurgy. Titled "Output-Oriented Intensive Workshop for the Establishment of the GEM Faculty of Future Metallurgy in Indonesia," the workshop will be held in two sessions: April 18-19 in Bandung and April 21-22 at the UNU Jogja campus in Yogyakarta.

The workshop follows the signing of a cooperation agreement between UNU Jogja and GEM at the GEM International Conference Center in Jingmen, China, on January 22, 2025. GEM operates in 13 countries and is a global leader and pioneer in urban mining, which involves processing and reusing materials from electronic devices and unused vehicles. GEM’s founder, Prof. Xu Kaihua, is a Central South University (CSU) expert with numerous patents in energy and new materials. 

UNU Jogja Rector Widya Priyahita Pudjibudojo stated that the Faculty of Future Metallurgy will be established as a research center for urban mining and the development of outstanding human resources aligned with national needs and global challenges. 

"Following the productive two-day workshop in Bandung, we are holding a follow-up workshop at UNU Jogja to finalize the master plan for establishing the Faculty of Future Metallurgy. This new faculty will focus on urban mining as a solution to global environmental challenges," Widya said during her welcome address to the GEM delegation at the second phase of the workshop at UNU Jogja on Monday, April 21. 

Through this educational collaboration, UNU Jogja and GEM are developing a pilot model for industry-academia collaboration. This initiative is expected to serve as a blueprint to support Indonesia’s strategic goals in metallurgy and urban mining. The collaboration aligns with the national downstreaming program, a priority initiative of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. 

The establishment of the Faculty of Future Metallurgy at UNU Jogja has been discussed and supported by several ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of Coordinating Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) and the National Economic Council (DEN). 

During the workshop, UNU Jogja and GEM discussed preparations for establishing the Faculty of Future Metallurgy at UNU Jogja, including its vision, licensing, governance, educational programs, infrastructure, and marketing strategies. Rector Widya expressed appreciation on behalf of UNU Jogja for all the support and facilitation provided by GEM during the workshop and in establishing UNU Jogja. “This faculty will serve as an educational institution and a research and study center producing policy-oriented outcomes,” he stated. 

In addition to UNU Jogja leaders, Special Staff to the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Achmad Adhitya, and the Deputy Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), Muhammad Najib Azca, were present at the workshop held at the China-Indonesia Joint Research Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Technology in Bandung. 

At the session held on the UNU Jogja campus, the academic community welcomed GEM leaders Xu Peng Yun, Wang Yaning, and Su Tao Gui. "This workshop is very important for the continued preparation of the Future Metallurgy Faculty at UNU Jogja," said Xu Peng Yun, assistant general manager of GEM Co., Ltd. and project leader for the GEM Joint Laboratory in Indonesia.

Following the workshop, the establishment of the UNU Jogja Faculty of Future Metallurgy will proceed to the next phase, which includes preparing academic documents and constructing a new building equipped with modern laboratories near the current UNU Jogja Integrated Campus. Several events will also be held to celebrate the new faculty's establishment, including an art exhibition and a music performance. The events will culminate in a strategic forum, the "Indonesia Metallurgy Summit," at the end of this year. 

"The launch of the UNU Jogja Future Metallurgy Faculty is targeted for July 2026. In the future, the faculty is expected to become a center for the research and development of urban mining talent in the Asia-Pacific region," stated Rector Widya. [Arif]