Jakarta - The Rector of Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) attended an audience between the Indonesian State University Rectors Assembly (MRPTNI) and the Presidential Staff Office (KSP). The meeting discussed strengthening the role of universities in accelerating the implementation of national priority programs.

The audience carried the theme “Accelerating National Priority Programs through State Universities to Achieve Food Self-Sufficiency, Energy Self-Sufficiency, Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives, and National Health Resilience.” The ITK Rector joined MRPTNI officials and rectors from state universities to present ideas, innovations, and opportunities for collaboration between the government and higher education institutions.

In his remarks, the Presidential Chief of Staff emphasized that universities hold a strategic position in supporting the national development agenda. Universities are not only centers of education, but also centers of research, technological innovation, human resource development, and community service.

Through the implementation of the three pillars of higher education, MRPTNI is expected to become a strategic government partner in developing applicable solutions. University research and innovation should not remain limited to laboratories or academic publications but should be transformed into technologies, policies, and programs that directly benefit society.

In the food sector, universities can contribute through the development of superior seeds, cultivation technologies, agricultural mechanization, product downstreaming, food logistics systems, and stronger farmer institutions. In the energy sector, universities can support research on new and renewable energy, bioenergy, energy efficiency, and technologies that strengthen national energy security.

Universities are also expected to support the Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives through mentoring, business incubation, human resource capacity building, digital governance, and the development of sustainable business models. In the health sector, universities can strengthen research on medicines, vaccines, medical devices, pharmaceutical raw materials, health technology, and the quality of healthcare professionals.

The participation of the ITK Rector in the forum reflects ITK’s commitment to expanding collaboration and contributing to efforts to address development challenges. As a state university in East Kalimantan, ITK holds a strategic position in developing innovations that respond to regional needs while supporting the achievement of national development targets.

The audience also provided a platform for universities to share best practices and discuss challenges encountered in implementing various programs. Stronger collaboration among the government, universities, businesses, regional administrations, and communities is expected to accelerate the implementation of national priority policies.

Through the meeting, universities were encouraged to become solution centers for the nation’s challenges. The collaboration is expected to strengthen food sovereignty, energy independence, the people’s economy, and national health resilience toward a more advanced and sustainable Indonesia.