Vice-Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of Faculty of Forestry, Syahidah, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D., accompanied by the Head of Forest Conservation Study Program, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ngakan Putu Oka, M.Sc., warmly welcomed the team from Centre of Competence of Theatre and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Universitas of Leipzig, Germany. The members of delegates are Dorothea Mercedes Kaiser, Stephen Scharell, and Jeta Zhutia.
The visit aims to further discuss the possible creative alternatives to convey the messages of conservation that are generated from joint research with the Forest Conservation study program at Unhas.
The meeting took place offline in the Senate room of the Faculty of Forestry, Tamlanrea campus, Makassar, on Wednesday (21/09).
To begin with, Vice-Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of the Faculty of Forestry, Syahidah, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D. in her welcoming speech expressed her appreciation and pride toward the University of Leipzig for visiting Unhas.
“I feel proud of this moment, it is my honor as the representative of Unhas to host our friends from the University of Leipzig in Makassar. I hope this collaboration will not only be limited to the Forest Cerservation study program but also to an extended partnership with other study programs,” explained Syahidah.
Stephen Scharell, on the same occasion, explained his objectives and goals to visit Indonesia, the Faculty of Forestry of Universitas Hasanuddin to be specific.
“Our main purpose coming here is to establish a collaborative project called “Conservation and Performing Arts (CPA)” that will bring together researchers and artists to discuss and study the interconnection between arts and natural sciences. This aims to examine students’ knowledge about arts and natural science collaboratively,” described Stephen.
Furthermore, Stephen stated that through the collaboration with Forest Conservation Study Program, Unhas will support them to implement the project of Conservation and Performing Arts. He believes that Universitas Hasanuddin can help his team during the research and preparation to analyze and observe the cultural values and then transform the values into the spirit of nation-building.
“This project focuses on education and research that will be beneficiary for the nation, mainly transforming the cultural values that are used as the fundamental means in nation-building. This project “Conservation and Performing Arts” also aims to develop arts-based education as a tool to build awareness of arts and nature conservation using performance/theatre practices from known historical and contemporary cultures through interesting methodological modifications,” added Stephen
Prof. Ngakan Putu Oka, on the same occasion, also expressed his gratitude to the University of Leipzig. He is so honored to provide hospitality to the delegation. Prof. Oka sincerely will support this project by deploying some researchers and facilitate the team with “Karantea” an educational forest owned by Unhas.
Kumara Tungga Dewa, S.S.
Editor : Supratman
