Politap Partners with International Animal Rescue to Strengthen Vocational Education from Villages

Taking place in the partnership room of the Department of Informatics Engineering, Integrated Laboratory Building of Politeknik Negeri Ketapang (Ketapang State Polytechnic), on Monday, 7 June 2021, a Technical Cooperation Agreement was signed between Politeknik Negeri Ketapang and Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia, known as International Animal Rescue (IAR). Established in 2008 as an environmental non-governmental organization (NGO), the organization continues to grow as an institution dedicated to wildlife welfare, protection, and conservation in Indonesia based on the 3R and M approach: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Release & Monitoring. The collaboration between Politap and IAR aims to strengthen Politap Building Vocational Education from Villages.

Director of Politeknik Negeri Ketapang (Politap) Endang Kusmana stated in his opening remarks that Politap strives to collaborate with all parties, especially in utilizing the outcomes of research and community service carried out by lecturers. According to Endang, the partnership with IAR as an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) holds strategic significance. The campus, as a center for science and technology development, collaborates with IAR, which possesses data and target conservation areas, making this collaboration highly beneficial for the community, particularly regarding the conservation of Indonesian biodiversity.

Furthermore, Endang added that this cooperation agreement had been drafted since 2020 through various Focus Group Discussions held by both parties. The planned activities will include joint research on biodiversity conducted by both institutions aimed at intellectual property rights and research commercialization, the application of lecturers' innovations in information technology for primate rescue in Indonesia, community empowerment and mentoring by providing opportunities for students to play an active role and implement knowledge gained in their studies toward wildlife conservation both in the field and through community outreach, as well as  community education and awareness alongside students by providing hands-on experience in primate and habitat protection activities. Meanwhile, IAR Cooperation Manager Wendi warmly welcomed the signing of the partnership that had been prepared since 2020. According to him, the collaboration between IAR and Politap will generate a broad and measurable impact on the community. For example, in education, Politap will implement the independent campus program for students ready to volunteer for IAR programs, as well as joint scholarship schemes for underprivileged communities in IAR-assisted areas. In research, joint studies will be carried out to examine specific biodiversity species within IAR-assisted areas, and Politap will design a WebGIS powered by data contributed by hundreds of IAR volunteers spread across Ketapang Regency, Kayong Utara Regency, and Melawi Regency. In community service,  it involves the implementation of appropriate technology to support local economic groups, community education and awareness, and the development of flagship villages as part of Politap Building Vocational Education from Villages.