UNDIP, Semarang (9/04) – The “Senayan Cares for Central Java” Forum held on Tuesday (9/4) at the Gradhika Bhakti Praja Building, Central Java Governor’s Office Complex, became a strategic space for strengthening synergy between the Central Java Provincial Government, central legislators from the Central Java electoral district. A total of 77 members of the Indonesian House of Representatives and 4 members of the Indonesian Regional Representative Council attended this inaugural forum to support the sustainable Central Java development program.
In this forum, the Chancellor of Diponegoro University (UNDIP), Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si., was appointed as the moderator. “This forum is an extraordinary initiative that shows how important communication and cross-institutional collaboration are to build a better Central Java,” said Prof. Suharnomo in the forum.
The Senayan Cares for Central Java Forum is not just a discussion space, but also the initial milestone for the establishment of a formal communication mechanism between legislators at the national level and regional executive leaders.
Governor Ahmad Luthfi emphasized the importance of cross-institutional collaboration for the sustainability of Central Java’s development post-2025. The Provincial Government realizes that successful development cannot be achieved independently, but requires support and active involvement from various stakeholders, including people’s representatives at the central level.
The principle of ngopeni lan ngelakoni—caring for and running—was adopted as a development philosophy that emphasizes the importance of sustainable collaboration for the welfare of the people of Central Java.
The Role of Academics in Bridging Collaboration
In his capacity as moderator, Prof. Suharnomo played a number of strategic roles: sparking discussion, providing academic context on the importance of this forum, and most importantly—facilitating a joint commitment between members of the DPR and DPD to support the priority programs of the Provincial Government.
Prof. Suharnomo also highlighted that this forum is a continuation of collaborative initiatives that have been carried out previously, such as the Berlian Forum with political party leaders and the Central Java DPRD, as well as the Governor’s meeting with 44 university leaders which resulted in 30 cooperation programs for 2025–2029.
“Momentum like this is important to connect the collaboration ecosystem. When academics, legislators, and executives can sit together, the direction of policy becomes more solid and based on public interest. If we have a shared vision, then every step will be meaningful. UNDIP strongly supports this spirit. We believe that when Central Java advances, the campuses in it will also develop and contribute more widely,” said Prof. Suharnomo.
Through this forum, members of the DPR and DPD are given space to convey suggestions, commitments, and aspirations in supporting regional priority programs. The hope is that the discussion will produce not only ideas, but also concrete actions that have an impact on society.
In line with UNDIP Bermartabat, UNDIP Bermanfaat
UNDIP’s involvement in this strategic forum reflects the active role of higher education institutions in regional development. By carrying the tagline UNDIP Bermartabat, UNDIP Bermanfaat, UNDIP continues to prove itself as a strategic partner of the government and society.
UNDIP itself has become a partner of the Central Java Provincial Government in providing a water desalination unit in Rusunawa Slamaran, Pekalongan City on March 25, 2025. This program is part of an effort to provide access to clean water for coastal communities who have had difficulty obtaining potable water.
The desalination unit in Pekalongan has a production capacity of up to 6,000 liters per day and is targeted to meet the drinking water needs of 250 heads of families living in Rusunawa. The results of UNDIP’s technological innovation are planned to be implemented in 20 coastal areas of Central Java and have attracted interest from four other provinces in Indonesia.
Seawater desalination technology is an innovation by an academic from Diponegoro University, Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Widiasa, S.T., M.T., from the Faculty of Engineering which has been utilized by the Teluk Awur Jepara community, or around the UNDIP Jepara campus, in collaboration with the Jepara Regency Government. The technology that was inaugurated by the UNDIP Chancellor on May 14, 2024, is now capable of producing up to 200,000 liters of clean water every day and is distributed free of charge to the coastal communities of Jepara.
With various initiatives carried out by the Central Java Provincial Government, the spirit of Dignity and Usefulness is increasingly gaining space, and UNDIP continues to be present with real solutions to encourage the progress of Central Java and inclusive development (NH).
