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| Course Participants in the Ecology Short Course at UNHALU in 1995 |
When I was just a young lad I was given an amazing opportunity to teach overseas for a project sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency called the Eastern Indonesian Universities Development Project. The objectives of the project were to strengthen basic science teaching and research with the ultimate objective of contributing to sustainable development in Indonesia. EIUDP was jointly funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Government of Indonesia.
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Eating Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish) in Kendari
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My involvement with the EIUDP came at the tail end of the 10 year project but my brief association was rich in learning for me (and hopefully course participants as well). I taught a series of short courses in Ecology at three different universities in Eastern Indonesia in 1995 and 1996 and also facilitated seminars on sustainable development. Chris Dagg, the Director of the EIUDP program, wrote that “the purpose of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) component of the Project is to introduce sustainable development ideas and approaches into teaching and research at the four Member Universities through their basic science courses”.
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| Some UNHALU faculty who were EIUDP scholars or participants |
I had the great fortune of teaching at three of the member universities: Pattimura University in Ambon, Cenderawasih University in Jayapura, Irian Jaya and my first (and favorite) Haluoleo University in Kendari the capital city of the province of South-east Sulawesi.
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| Presenting to UNHALU students and faculty |
I have kept in touch with the faculty (the course participants were not students but younger lecturers) who were participants in the Ecology short courses that I taught and wanted to return to Kendari to see how they (and the university) were doing. Has the EIUDP been effective in increasing the capacity of Indonesia to develop in a sustainable way?
Back in the mid-90s all that was required to be a lecturer at the universities in eastern Indonesia was an S1 degree, approximately equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in North America. In fact only one of the participants in my short course had an MSc degree the rest had their S1.
To return and see that so many of them have gone on to do their MSc and PhDs degrees was awesome. As they toured me around the campus showing the new equipment and discussing the research projects they are working on I could sense their increased confidence and abilities.
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| Me with a few UNHALU students |
My visit to Kendari was short but the time was filled with activities: meetings and discussion with past short course participants and CIDA scholars; a visit to the newly established Wallaceae Museum; the required meals of Ikan Bakar (grilled fish) and I also presented my seminar on conservation and sustainability to a great group of UNHALU students and faculty sponsored by the Agrotechnology Department of the Agriculture Faculty.
Thank you to all of you for making me feel so welcome! And for doing so much for your students, UNHALU and the future of Indonesia!
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Four UNHALU Faculty today who were 1995 Short Course Participants
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