Balikpapan - Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) continues to expand its international collaboration network after successfully securing funding through the Diaspora Berdampak Batch 2 Program. The program carries the theme “Enhancing Capacity and Disaster Research Collaboration for the Sustainability of Indonesia’s New Capital City” and involves a diaspora partner from Kobe University, Japan.

The program was initiated by Ariyaningsih, who serves as both the proposer and program coordinator. ITK will collaborate with Dr. Mizan Bustanul Fuady Bisri, Ph.D., an Indonesian academic affiliated with the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS), Kobe University, who also serves as a Senior Researcher at the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), Japan.

The collaboration focuses on strengthening research capacity and cooperation in disaster management and disaster risk reduction, particularly in addressing ecological and hydrometeorological risks associated with the transformation of East Kalimantan and the development of Nusantara Capital City (IKN).

The program will also involve ITK’s Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), university leaders, early-career lecturers, and multidisciplinary researchers, particularly from the fields of Urban and Regional Planning, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Students will also participate in several activities, including academic programs, publication preparation, and field visits.

A series of activities has been designed to strengthen ITK’s disaster research ecosystem, including a public lecture on disaster mitigation, discussions on developing a research roadmap, field visits to buffer areas and the delineation zone of IKN, a Research Management and International Collaboration Workshop, and the preparation of international research proposals.

Beyond knowledge exchange, the program is expected to produce concrete outcomes that support long-term collaboration. These include the ITK Disaster Research Roadmap for 2026–2029, a Collaboration Plan and Commitment Letter, and at least one joint manuscript ready for submission to a reputable international journal indexed by Scopus.

The team also aims to develop a joint research proposal that can be submitted to international funding schemes such as the e-ASIA Joint Research Program (JRP), JASTIP, and Kurita. This initiative is expected to open broader opportunities for research collaboration between ITK and international academic networks.

Ariyaningsih expressed hope that the Diaspora Berdampak Program would go beyond an academic visit or a short-term activity and serve as a starting point for sustained research collaboration.

“We hope this program will not end as merely an academic visit or a short-term activity, but will become a gateway to sustainable research collaboration between Institut Teknologi Kalimantan and academic networks in Japan,” she said.

ITK’s success in securing Diaspora Berdampak Batch 2 funding marks another step toward strengthening its research capacity, expanding its global network, and delivering scientific contributions relevant to the development challenges of East Kalimantan and IKN. Through collaboration among academics, researchers, students, and the Indonesian diaspora, ITK is expected to play an increasingly significant role in advancing disaster research that contributes to a resilient, safe, and sustainable region.