Yogyakarta, June 18th 2025 — The Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Ponorogo Regency for the preparation of a Disaster Risk Assessment (KRB) in the Ponorogo region. This partnership is a strategic step to strengthen synergy between academic institutions and local governments in enhancing preparation and mitigation of potential disasters.
The signing took place at the UGM Graduate School and was attended by SPs UGM leadership and representatives from Ponorogo Regency BPBD. This collaboration, SPs UGM will provide scientific and technical support in preparing the KRB document, including risk potential mapping, vulnerability analysis, and data-driven disaster risk reduction strategy recommendations.
The Dean of SPs UGM, Prof. Ir. Siti Malkhamah, M.Sc., Ph.D., stated that this cooperation aligns with the Graduate School’s commitment in supporting disaster-resilient sustainable development. “We hope this will be a continuous step in building a more prepared and adaptive disaster management system,” she said.
This initiative also strengthens the role of the Disaster Management Master Program (MMB) at SPs UGM, which is actively involved in this cooperation. The program is mandated to support the government in building regional capacity with applied research, policy studies, and technical disaster training based on a multidisciplinary approach.
MMB SPs UGM, through this collaboration, will deploy a team of academics and students to directly contribute to the preparation of the KRB, as a form of community service and to enrich experiential learning through field-based practices. This initiative demonstrates the synergy between higher education and local government in creating safer, more resilient, and sustainable regions.
Writer: Arfikah Istari