FTUH Leadership and Faculty Members Host a Courtesy Visit by Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of Indonesia from 2004–2009 and 2014–2019
The leadership and faculty members of the Hasanuddin University Faculty of Engineering (FTUH) welcomed a courtesy visit from Dr. (HC) H. M. Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia for the terms 2004–2009 and 2014–2019, at the FTUH campus in Bukit Bonto Marannu, Gowa Regency, on Thursday afternoon, March 16, 2023.
During his courtesy visit, Jusuf Kalla was accompanied by Prof. Hamid Awaluddin, Minister of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia from 2004 to 2007; Dr. Ir. Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia from 2014 to 2019, who is also the Chairman of the UNHAS Alumni Association (IKA UNHAS); and Dr. Ir. Syarif Burhanuddin, Advisor to the UNHAS Engineering Alumni Association (IKATEK UNHAS). The Regent and Vice Regent of Gowa Regency also escorted Mr. Jusuf Kalla into the FTUH campus.
Mr. Jusuf Kalla was welcomed and received directly by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. M. Isran Ramli, along with the entire FTUH leadership (Vice Deans, Chair of the GPMPR, and Managers) and the heads of departments and study programs within FTUH, in the FTUH Dean’s Lounge, where, shortly before, Mr. Jusuf Kalla had stopped to perform the midday prayer at the Al-ILMI IKATEK Unhas Mosque located within the FTUH campus grounds.
During his meeting with JK, Prof. Isran reported on the progress and developments in the construction of educational facilities and infrastructure at the FTUH campus in accordance with the existing Campus Master Plan. Prof. Isran also informed JK about developments in human resources and the management of departments and study programs, as well as FTUH’s performance achievements. Jusuf Kalla commended the rapid development of the FTUH campus and the excellent performance demonstrated by FTUH as one of Indonesia’s leading engineering education institutions.
After meeting with FTUH leadership, Jusuf Kalla then met with all department and program heads, as well as faculty members within the FTUH community, at the FTUH Exhibition Hall on the ground floor of the CoT Building. During this visit, Jusuf Kalla—as the initiator of the relocation and construction of the FTUH campus in Gowa Regency—shared with the FTUH academic community the history of the campus’s relocation and construction on the site of the former Gowa Paper Mill. Furthermore, Jusuf Kalla encouraged FTUH faculty members to uphold the philosophy and spirit that the campus is a Center of Civilization that always looks toward the future, rather than dwelling on the past. Jusuf Kalla expressed his hope that the performance and achievements already attained by the FTUH community would continue to be maintained and improved, and that they would continue to develop academic programs that meet the current and future needs of society, the nation, and the state. In his closing remarks to the FTUH faculty, Jusuf Kalla encouraged them not only to focus on theory on campus but also to engage in practical fieldwork with industry partners.
During the discussion session, several faculty members shared their hopes and feedback with Jusuf Kalla and his delegation, including Dr. Elyas Palentei (Telecommunications Expert at FTUH), Dr.Eng. Purwanto (Mining Engineering Faculty Member), Prof. Rachman Djamaluddin, and Dr.Eng. Bambang Bakri (Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering), and Prof. Jalaluddin Haddada (Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering). Jusuf Kalla and Andi Amran Sulaiman welcomed the hopes and suggestions from the FTUH faculty members regarding closer collaboration to facilitate engineering internships and support innovative research activities for FTUH faculty members, as well as internships for FTUH students at various industries managed by Unhas alumni in general and FTUH alumni in particular.
At the end of this gathering, the Dean of FTUH presented Jusuf Kalla with a memento: a photograph of Jusuf Kalla symbolically inaugurating the Unhas Faculty of Engineering campus several years ago. Before leaving the FTUH campus, Jusuf Kalla took the time to tour the booths of each department in the Exhibition Hall to view the latest research and innovation outcomes from FTUH faculty members.