The handover of an asset grant of land and buildings from the Selayar Islands Regency Government to Hasanuddin University marks a strategic step in strengthening vocational education development. This moment reflects not only institutional commitment but also an important foundation for building an education ecosystem that responds to local needs.
The agreement on the grant of regional property was formally signed by the Regent of the Selayar Islands, H. Muhammad Natsir Ali, and Unhas Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc. The document regulates the use of regional assets to support the delivery of Unhas vocational education in Selayar.
From the perspective of education development, the grant is a policy instrument that strengthens access to and equitable distribution of higher education services, particularly in island regions. Selayar, as a strategic area, has geographic characteristics that demand a different approach, making the presence of a vocational education institution highly relevant to addressing these challenges.
Unhas Rector Prof JJ stressed that the role of the regional government is highly strategic in promoting vocational education as a new binding force for regional development. The Rector also appreciated the Selayar government’s proactive steps, which increasingly demonstrate a strong commitment to developing education.
“Vocational education must become a new binding force for Selayar’s progress. This is not only about education, but about how we build the region’s future based on the potential it has,” Prof JJ explained.
From an academic standpoint, attention to the marine and fisheries sector is considered to still need strengthening, despite its great potential. Prof JJ stressed that Unhas has taken concrete steps to support strengthening this sector, one of which is through collaboration with Guangdong University.
“One implementation we can develop going forward is to make Selayar a pilot project for comprehensive research and development in aquaculture. We want to ensure that the research conducted truly meets local needs and has a direct impact on the community,” Prof JJ added.
Prof. JJ also stressed that the land and building grant from the regional government is a tangible expression of the regional head’s grand vision for advancing education. According to Prof. JJ, the regional government’s support gives vocational education room to grow faster and deliver higher-quality services in Selayar.
Meanwhile, Regent of the Selayar Islands Natsir Ali said that the regency still faces various development challenges, especially those related to limited land and the scattered geography of the archipelago. According to the Regent, this situation calls for a development approach that is not only conventional but also adaptive and based on the community’s real needs.
The Regent said vocational education is considered one of the strategic solutions to these challenges. Through a more applied, skills-oriented approach, vocational education is expected to produce work-ready human resources who are relevant to the region’s leading potential, such as marine, fisheries, and other productive sectors.
“Building in island regions certainly has its own challenges. However, we see education as a long-term investment that cannot be postponed,” Natsir Ali explained.
Natsir Ali stressed that strengthening vocational education is a concrete step to accelerate regional development while opening new economic opportunities for the community.
The event took place in the Rector’s Room on the 8th floor of the Unhas Tamalanrea Campus on Thursday (30 April). Besides the handover of the land and building asset grant, the agenda also included the signing of an extension of cooperation through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), as a form of strengthening long-term collaboration commitments in education, research, and regional development.
Currently, Unhas vocational education in Selayar is already running and has active students, as part of strengthening access to higher education in island regions. The study programs developed cover strategic fields relevant to the region’s potential, such as the Tourism Destination Study Program, which supports local industry needs and potential-based regional development. (*/mir)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.