Establishing Collaboration, OWSD Indonesia Holds Annual Meeting 2023 Hosted by Brawijaya University

January 10, 2024

The OWSD Indonesia National Chapter held its 2023 Annual Meeting agenda on Friday December 22, in collaboration with host Brawijaya University (UB), at the Rectorate Building, 6th Floor, UB Campus, Malang. The routine meeting has been held once annually since 2018 and is a platform for OWSD Indonesia members to strengthen networking between members, increase multidisciplinary research collaboration, and strengthen their role in the dissemination of knowledge in the field of science and technology. OWSD Indonesia members showed their enthusiasm by turning out passionately and bravely, starting from lecturers, researchers, and experts in various fields including Professors, Doctors, and master graduates at home and abroad. 

The activity started with a signing event of Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Fatmawati S.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Chair of OWSD Indonesia) and Prof. Widodo, Ph.D. Med.Sc. (UB Rector). Furthermore, a certificate from the Executive Advisory Board Member of OWSD Indonesia was given to the UB Rector and the UB Women in Science Award, which was specifically given to UB's Best Women Researchers. The Chancellor and Vice-Rector of UB and their staff appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with OWSD Indonesia to increase the role of UB Women Researchers. Prof. Dr. Mochamad Ashari (ITS Rector) as the Host Institution of OWSD Indonesia was also present online at this event to provide his support.

The activity continued with the presentation from Dr. Itje Chodidjah as Daily Chair of the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO (KNIU) about "Indonesian Women Empowerment". She stated "Based on data from BRIN, as many as 44.72% of researchers in Indonesia are women. This percentage is higher than UNESCO statistical data on a global scale which only reaches less than 30%." This showed that Indonesia will achieve the target 17 SDGs more quickly if the perspectives and involvement of women researchers in Indonesia are optimally empowered through the offered UNESCO programs.

The next presentation was from Dr. Eng. Osi Arutanti as BRIN Researcher and OWSD Indonesia member. She shared her experience in participating the "STI Capacity Building Program for Female Research and Entrepreneurs" in Thailand last October as delegation from OWSD Indonesia. She stated, "The role of women researchers is to understand and recognize the potential that exists around them, to provide other points of view through broader and more inclusive dissemination of research products. To achieve this success requires involvement from universities and researchers, government, and related industries."

The final activity was  evaluation of the Work Programs that have been implemented in the 2018 – 2023 period. In supporting women's empowerment, many Work Programs received a lot of support from the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Culture, the Director General of Higher Education, KNIU, and L' Oreal Indonesia. The supported activities were Congresses, Webinars, Conferences, Annual Meetings, Charities, Workshop, OWSD Goes to School, Student Training, and Book Publishing. This activity aims to inspire other female researchers to always take part and provide benefits to society through the dissemination of products and technology that are appropriate to their knowledge.

This activity is also an evaluation forum for its members. All members shared their ideas and support in preparing a new organizational structure for the development and performance improvement in the coming period. The hope is to have a better work program, especially in research funding strategies, increasing research collaboration between members, and sharing knowledge with the younger generation and the community. This is OWSD Indonesia's mission in creating a better future for Indonesia.

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