Dharmasraya Regency, West Sumatra, has established a collaboration with UNY. The memorandum of understanding was signed on Thursday (23/2) at the Rectorate of UNY. Head of the Education Office of Dharmasraya Regency, Bobby Perdana Riza, M.Si said that this activity was started by the previous visit of the Vice Rector for Planning and Cooperation Prof. Siswantoyo to Dharmasraya to initiate cooperation. "The response we got was very positive and the teachers were very enthusiastic about the offer of further study," said Bobby. The expectation of this MoU signing is that it can be immediately applied in the field by modifying it according to current conditions. Bobby explained that the distance between Dharmasraya and Padang as the provincial capital is still about 5 hours so that this collaboration is also expected to cut space and time so that Dharmasraya residents can be part of this program to be able to solve the problems faced by the Dharmasraya Regency government and education officials to continue their studies. A series of facilities offered by UNY is a refreshing breeze to be implemented together. The Head of the Dharmasraya Education Office wishes that this collaboration can also take place cross-sectorally with other Regional Government Units (UPD).

On behalf of the Rector, Prof. Margana as the Vice Rector for Research, Cooperation, Information Systems and Business warmly welcomed this collaboration where UNY has a strong commitment in order to establish collaboration. "I hope this meeting can establish a more solid synergy between UNY and Dharmasraya Regency in the form of the Tridharma of Higher Education," said Margana. This collaboration is a manifestation of the hexa helix program, one of which is the local government and universities. The Vice Rector revealed that there are several collaborations that can be carried out this year such as degree training by sending teachers who will continue their Masters and S3 studies. UNY has more than 1200 lecturers with various experts in their fields in each faculty.

The activity was closed with the handover of souvenirs and socializing between the group of Dharmasraya Regency and UNY. (Author : Dedy, Editor : Sudaryono, Translator: Karina)