18 th Executive Board meeting crafts vision for a revitalized Consortium “To be a leader in implementing collaborative strategies for excellent graduate education and cutting-edge research in agriculture, environment, and natural resources for the benefit of the Southeast Asian region”—this is the vision of the revitalized University Consortium (UC) as crafted by the participants of the 18th University Consortium Executive Officers and Coordinators Meeting held on 19 August 2005 at the Palm Garden Hotel, IOI Resort, Putrajaya, Malaysia. Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Zohadie Bardaie, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), officially opened the meeting. In his opening remarks, Prof. Zohadie stressed that “the active participation of the members of the UC is The participants of the 18th University Consortium Executive Officers and Coordinators Meeting a testimony that the UC is still a relevant held on19 August 2005 at Palm Garden Hotel in Putrajaya, Malaysia. and important network for the promotion of agriculture and sustainable environment.” 18th UC Board meeting crafts vision UQ creates innovative education tool for Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan, for a revitalized UC 1 plant industries 7 SEARCA Director, underscored the Four UPLB faculty get professorial SEARCA invites applications for challenge on the UC to effectively chairs 2 graduate scholarship in agriculture 8 intervene and create a positive impact UC Coordinators tackle organizational Degraded tropical forests can still and management concerns at be restored 8 by producing highly trained Yogyakarta Meeting 3 UBC opens Asia-Pacific office 9 professionals who could contribute to the Malaysian Prof develops airborne UBC researchers discover ocean viruses 9 development of their respective hyperspectral imaging for German officials conduct evaluation countries’ policies and other precision agriculture 4 of DAAD-SEARCA Scholarship SEARCA offers PhD research Program 10 mechanisms that promote rural scholarships 5 CeTSAF co-organizes summer school development. On the other hand, Dr. KU opens new campus 5 in plantation forestry in Asia and Aini Ideris, Dean, School of Graduate In This Issue KU, Asia-Pacific aquatic network sign Europe 12 Studies and UC Executive Officer, MOU 5 UPM is center of excellence for UPM,emphasized the need for the UC to agrcultural. education 6 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ See 18th UC, page 2 UC Member Update “Enhancing compliance with environmental quality standards in the Four UPLB faculty get Laguna de Bay region through public SEARCA professorial chairs disclosure.” The four new awards bring to 88 Four faculty of the University of of semi-refined carrageenan;” Dr. the total number of SEARCA professorial the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) were Ernesto J. del Rosario, Colleges of chairs awarded to UPLB faculty. Since awarded the SEARCA Professorial Chair Arts and Sciences, “Recovery of growth 1989, SEARCA has awarded a total of 115 for academic year 2005-2006. hormones in coconut water using professorial chairs to faculty of UPLB, The awardees, their colleges and micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration;” Dr. Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) and titles of research are: Dr. Arnold R. Jose M. Yorrobe, Jr., College of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Elepaño, College of Engineering and Economics and Management, “The cost Indonesia, Universiti Putra Malaysia Agricultural Technology, of biosafety regulation for rice in the (UPM), and Kasetsart University (KU) in “Development of a small-scale Philippines;” and Dr. Cleofe S. Torres, Thailand under the University processing system for the production College of Development Communication, Consortium. (LLDDomingo) 18th UC, from page 1 ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ collaborative research projects, and Participants of the meeting were: stand on its own, grow stronger together, faculty and student exchange programs. Dr. Gulam Rusul Rahmat Ali, Deputy and give the network a new brand and Dean, School of Graduate Studies and UC meaning. the mission of the UC is to Coordinator, and Dr. Ideris, both of UPM, The UC Executive Board promote collaboration among Malaysia; Dr. Syafrida Manuwoto, reformulated the mission and objectives UC members to enhance Director, Graduate Studies Program and of the UC, redefined the roles of the graduate education and UC Executive Officer, and Dr. Ma’mun members and the Secretariat, and research in agriculture, Sarma, Director for International modified the organizational structure of environment, and natural Programs and UC Coordinator, both of the network. The mission of the UC is to resources for the benefit of the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), Indonesia; promote collaboration among UC Southeast Asian region Dr. Susamto Somowiyarjo, Dean, members to enhance graduate education Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Edhi and research in agriculture, environment The UC Executive Board Martono, Vice Director for Graduate and natural resources for the benefit of approved the revised organizational Studies Program, and Dr. Ir. Masyhuri, Southeast Asian region. Its objectives are structure of the network to reflect a two- Chairman, Master of Agribusiness to a) provide highly trained personnel in tiered hierarchy of functions such that Management Program and UC agriculture, environment and natural the Executive Board serves as the Coordinator, all of Universitas Gadjah policymaking body of the UC while the Mada (UGM), Indonesia; Ms. the challenge to the UC is UC Coordinators serve as the Working Phacharavadee Paerattakul, how to intervene and create a Group, as recommended by the UC Director, International Affairs Division positive impact by producing Coordinators that met on the 18th of and UC Coordinator, KU, Thailand; Dr. highly trained professionals August 2005, a day before the meeting Roger Swift, Executive Dean, Faculty of who could contribute to of Executive Officers. The UC Board also Natural Resources, Agriculture, and the development of their approved the following: a) revised Veterinary Science, UC Executive Officer, respective countries’ policies guidelines on UC Membership; b) the and Director, Gatton Campus, University and other mechanisms revised Memorandum of Agreement on of Queensland (UQ), Australia; Dr. that promote rural development the Funding Scheme; c) the revised Mahesh Upadhyaya, Associate Dean grants administration guidelines and and UC Coordinator, Graduate Studies, resources for the development of the the suspension of the UC Research Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Southeast Asian region; b) promote Fellowship and UC Professorial Chair University of British Columbia (UBC), mutually beneficial cooperation among Programs; d) the operational plan and Canada; Dr. Balisacan and Dr. Editha C. UC members by optimizing the utilization budget for 2005-2006; and e) the Cedicol, Manager, Graduate Scholarship of scarce resources and expertise; and c) conduct of the 19th UC Executive Department, SEARCA, Philippines. develop strong and dynamic linkages Officers Meeting at Kasetsart University (ECCedicol) ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ among UC members through (KU), Thailand in mid-November 2006. ○○○○○○○○○ See 18th UC, p. 7 2 University Consortium UC News UC Coordinators tackle organization and management concerns at Yogyakarta workshop The University Consortium (UC) should come up with a new organizational structure and redefine the roles of its members and Secretariat. This was one of the major Participants of the “4th UC Coordinators Workshop” held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia recommendations of the UC on 12-14 April 2005. (Photo courtesy of SEARCA) Coordinators during the 4th UC the past efforts of the UC focused on to be uploaded in the UC Website; 5) Coordinators Workshop held at the capacity building to enhance graduate the production of the UC brochure in Novotel, Yogyakarta, Indonesia on education, the restructured UC should printed form for marketing purposes; 12-14 April 2005. put more focus on research projects, and 6) the development of a degree The Workshop was held in which may be able to generate more program in tropical agriculture to be response to the need to immediately funds for the network in addition to the jointly offered by the UC members. address the issues on grants membership fees. Participants of the Workshop were administration as well as review, Dr. Edhi Martono, Vice Director for graduate education discuss and recommend further Graduate Studies Program representing action on organization and in agriculture is Dr. Irwan Abdullah, Director of Graduate management concerns expressed in still a very important Studies Program and UC Executive Officer, the evaluation study on the UC focal concern and Dr. Ir. Masyhuri, Chairman, Master conducted by Dr. Ledivina Cariño of Agribusiness Management Program in 2004. It is also the Coordinators’ and UC Coordinator, both of Universitas The Workshop aimed to 1) opinion that in order to be more relevant to agriculture and poverty review and refine guidelines for UC the Consortium is funding and operating procedures in alleviation, and raise the UC’s own one modality to address grants administration; 2) come up identity, the UC should develop development needs with a draft of the revised policies and collaborative research projects in guidelines in the implementation of order to attract donor funds. In in Southeast Asia through activities for approval of the UC addition, the UC should develop a human resource development Executive Board during the 18th UC mechanism to assist non-member and capacity building Meeting to be held in Malaysia within universities