Selected News Fateta Menerima Kunjungan Siswa SMA-IT Al Binaa

Agroindustry to increase the added value | Selected News Copyright Ono Suparno [email protected] http://ono.suparno.staff.ipb.ac.id/eventnews/news/

Selected News Fateta Menerima Kunjungan Siswa SMA-IT Al Binaa

SMA-IT Al Binaa Bekasi mengunjungi Fateta IPB pada tanggal 15 Desember 2011. Kunjungan tersebut dilakukan dalam upaya menambah wawasan siswa akan ilmu yang berhubungan dengan sains dan dalam rangka menjajaki kemungkinan siswa meneruskan pendidikan ke tingkat universitas serta memperkenalkan sistem pembelajaran di perguruan tinggi. Kunjungan tersebut diikuti oleh 41 orang siswa dan dua guru pendamping. Peserta kunjungan diterima oleh Fateta di Balairung AMN. Mereka mendapat penjelasan mengenai Fateta IPB, tanya jawab mengenai Fateta dan IPB serta belajar di perguruan tinggi. Acara selanjutnya adalah kunjungan ke beberapa fasilitas perkuliahan dan praktikum di Fateta yang dipandu oleh BEM Fateta. Mereka kelihatan sangat antusias mengikuti acara kunjungan tersebut. Salah seorang guru pendampingnya menyampaikan bahwa SMA-IT Al Binaa pernah menjadi Juara 3 Lomba Jajak Pendapat Statistika “Pesta Sains 2010 IPB”. (OS)

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Workshop Pengembangan Kurikulum Berbasis Technopreneurship

Departemen TIN Fateta IPB menyelenggarakan Workshop Pengembangan Kurikulum Berbasis Technopreneurship di IPB International Convention Center (IICC), Botani Square, Bogor pada tanggal 10 Desember 2011. Kegiatan tersebut dilakukan Departemen TIN dalam upaya mengarahkan sistem pendidikannya dari sekedar melakukan preservasi pengetahuan menjadi lebih berorientasi pada technopreneurship, yakni entrepreneurship atau wirausaha yang memanfaatkan teknologi. Workshop tersebut diikuti oleh para dosen TIN dan alumni Departemen TIN yang bergerak di bidang wirausaha. Pada acara tersebut, Departemen TIN

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memaparkan mengenai Pengembangan Kurikulum Technopreneurship TIN dan Rencana Implementasi Kurikulum Berorientasi pada Technopreneurship. Selanjutnya, dilakukan diskusi. Pada sesi diskusi, para alumni TIN mengapresiasi pengembangan kurikulum yang dilakukan oleh almamaternya dan memberikan berbagai masukan serta usulan untuk pengembangan dan penyempurnaan kurikulum tersebut. (OS) ***

Serah Terima Jabatan Dekan dan Pelepasan Purnabakti

Acara Serah Terima Jabatan Dekan dan Pelepasan Purnabakti telah dilaksanakan di Balairung Abdul Muis Nasution Fateta IPB pada hari Rabu, 30 November 2011. Acara tersebut dihadiri oleh pimpinan dan anggota Senat Fateta, tenaga pendidik, dan tenaga kependidikan di lingkungan Fateta IPB. Pada acara tersebut, laporan akhir jabatan dekan periode 2007-2011 disampaikan oleh Dr. Sam Herodian. Serah terima jabatan dekan periode 2011-2015 dari Senat Fateta kepada Dekan terpilih, yakni Dr. Sam Herodian. Selamat kepada Dr. Sam Herodian yang terpilih kembali menjadi dekan Fateta untuk periode 2011-2015. Semoga Fateta semakin jaya. Acara dilanjutkan dengan pelepasan purnabakti. Para punabaktiwan yang dilepas pada acara tersebut adalah Prof. Atjeng Muchlis Syarief (Dep. TMB); Prof. Hadikaria Purwadaria (Dep. TMB); Dr. Edward Namaken Sembiring (Dep. TMB); Ir. Gadjito, MSc (Dep. SIL); Prof. Deddy Muchtadi (Dep. ITP); dan Dr. Anton Apriyantono (Dep. ITP). Selamat kepada para purnabaktiwan yang telah menyelesaikan tugas dan pengabdian di Fateta IPB. Semoga kiprah para purnabaktiwan dapat lanjutkan. (OS). ***

Kunjungan Delegasi dari Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), Malaysia ke Fateta IPB

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Fakultas Teknologi Pertanian IPB menerima kunjungan delegasi Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), Sarawak, Malaysia pada tanggal 12 Oktober 2011. Delegasi UITM yang berjumlah 16 orang dan dipimpin oleh Rektor UITM, Prof Dr. Jamil Hj. Hamali tersebut diterima oleh Dekan Fateta IPB, Dr. Ir. Sam Herodian, MS di Ruang Sidang Fateta IPB. Para perwakilan keempat departemen di Fateta juga hadir pada acara tersebut. Kunjungan tersebut dilakukan dalam rangka pengembangan kerjasama antara UITM dengan Fateta IPB. Pada acara tersebut, kedua pihak mempresentasikan mengenai program-program akademik di masing-masing perguruan tinggi dan dilanjutkan dengan diskusi mengenai peluang-peluang kerjasama, diantaranya mengenai kerjasama riset dan student exchange. Kegiatan dilanjutkan dengan kunjungan ke fasilitas riset dan pendidikan di Fateta. (OS).

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Orasi Ilmiah Guru Besar Tetap IPB

Orasi ilmiah tiga guru besar tetap IPB dalam rangka Dies Natalis IPB ke-48 telah dilaksanakan di Graha Widya Wisuda IPB pada 29 Oktober 2011. Salah satu guru besar yang menyampaikan orasi ilmiah tersebut adalah Prof. Dr. Ir. Ani Suryani, DEA dari Departemen Teknologi Industri Pertanian Fateta IPB. Pada acara tersebut, Prof. Ani Suryani menyampaikan orasi ilmiah berjudul “Rekayasa proses transformasi hasil pertanian dalam rangka diversifikasi fungsi produk dan peningkatan nilai tambahnya”. Topik tersebut merupakan wujud perhatian dan sumbangsih pemikiran beliau pada pengembangan agroindustri di Indonesia. Selamat Prof. Ani Suryani dan semoga terus berkiprah untuk kejayaan Fateta IPB dan bangsa Indonesia. (OS). ***

Red’s Cup dan FAC 2011

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BEM Fateta telah selesai menyelenggarakan Red’s Cup dan FAC 2011. Red’s Cup merupakan kompetisi olahraga mahasiswa antardepartemen, sedangkan FAC (Fateta Art Contest) merupakan lomba seni mahasiswa antardepartemen di Fateta. Kedua kegiatan tersebut telah dilaksanakan selama tiga minggu pada 18 September – 9 Oktober 2011. Acara tersebut diharapkan dapat mempererat silaturahim, meningkatkan solidaritas antarmahasiswa Fateta, dan meningkatkan sikap sportivitas. Selain itu, acara tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan prestasi olahraga dan seni mahasiswa Fateta, sehingga diharapkan dapat berkompetisi di tingkat yang lebih tinggi, yakni IPB, daerah, dan nasional, misalnya Pekan Olah Raga Mahasiswa Nasional (POMNas). Selamat kepada para pemenang lomba-lomba dalam Red’s Cup dan FAC. Bagi yang menjadi juara, terus tingkatkan prestasi dan capaian. Bagi yang belum berhasil, jangan putus asa, tetapi terus tingkatkan kemampuan dan prestasi. Mudah-mudahan kegiatan-kegiatan seperti ini dapat terus dilaksanakan dan ditingkatkan di tahun-tahun mendatang. (OS)

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Pemaparan Program Kerja Bakal Calon Dekan Fateta 2011-2015

Senat Fateta IPB telah menyelenggarakan Pemaparan ProgramKerja Bakal Calon Dekan Fateta Periode 2011-2015 pada rapat senat terbuka yang dihadiri oleh anggota senat, staf pengajar, tenaga kependidikan, dan perwakilan mahasiswa Fateta. Acara tersebut dilaksanakan di Balairung AMN pada hari Rabu, 12 Oktober 2011. Program kerja masing-masing bakal calon tersebut akan digunakan sebagai pertimbangan dalam penetapan tiga calon dekan yang akan diusulkan oleh Senat Fateta kepada Rektor IPB. Pada acara tersebut lima bakal calon dekan, yakni Dr. Desrial, Prof. Dr. Nastiti S. Indrasti, Dr. Sam Herodian, Prof. Dr. Budi I. Setiawan, dan Dr. Sugiyono, telah menyampaikan program kerja masing-masing. Selamat kepada semua bakal calon. (OS)

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Dosen Fateta mengikuti Seminar Internasional Teknik Kimia

Beberapa dosen Fateta IPB, yakni Dr. Endang Warsiki, Dr. Ika A. Kartika, dan Dr. Ono Suparno mengikuti International Seminar on Chemical Engineering Soehadi Reksowardojo 2011. Seminar tersebut dilaksanakan di ITB, Bandung pada tanggal 5-7 Oktober 2011. Pada seminar tersebut, ketiga dosen tersebut mempresentasikan hasil-hasil penelitiannya dalam bentuk presentasi lisan dan poster. Selain itu, yang membanggakan juga adalah bahwa salah satu keynote speaker pada sesi pleno hari kedua seminar tersebut adalah dari Fateta IPB, yakni Prof Dr. Purwiyatno Hariyadi (Direktur Seafast Center - IPB). Pada seminar tersebut, Prof. Hariyadi menyampaikan makalah berjudul “Biobased Product Development for Better Value of Foods”. (OS) ***

Simposium Nasional Agroindustri IV

Departemen Teknologi Industri Pertanian (TIN) Fateta IPB menyelenggarakan Simposium Nasional Agroindustri IV di IPB International Convention Center (IICC), Botani Square, Bogor pada hari Sabtu, 24 September 2011. Kegiatan tersebut dibuka secara resmi oleh Rektor IPB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Herry Suhardiyanto, MSc.

Simposium tersebut dilatarbelakangi bahwa agroindustri merupakan subsektor pertanian yang sangat penting untuk pembangunan nasional. Oleh karena itu, agroindustri perlu dikembangkan dan diperkuat untuk mendukung pelaksanaan pembangunan nasional. Departemen TIN IPB merupakan institusi pendidikan tinggi pertama dan terdepan di Indonesia yang berfokus pada agroindustri. Dep. TIN telah berperan penting dalam mengembangkan SDM di bidang agroindustri,

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menghasilkan riset, inovasi dan pemberdayaan masyarakat di bidang tersebut. Setelah sekian lama agroindustri berkembang di Indonesia, kini saatnya untuk mengevaluasi peranan dan kontribusinya dalam pembangunan negeri ini. Departemen TIN pun perlu menata kembali peranannya dalam penyelenggaraan pendidikan, penelitian, dan pengabdian masyarakat di bidang agroindustri ini dengan mempertimbangkan perkembangan lingkungan terkini.

Simposium agroindustri tersebut merupakan wahana yang tepat bagi Departemen TIN dengan kekuatan akademik dan penelitiannya, serta alumni-alumninya yang telah berkiprah berbagai bidang dengan kekuatan dan pengalaman praktisnya, untuk kembali memberikan kontribusi terbaiknya dalam pengembangan agroindustri Indonesia. Simposium yang merupakan rangkaian dari simposium-simposium sebelumnya merupakan Simposium IV dan bertema ”Penguatan Agroindustri: Gerakan Memakmurkan Bangsa”.

Tujuan Simposium Nasional Agroindustri IV adalah: (1) Memadukan kekuatan akademisi dan praktisi di bidang agroindustri untuk menguatkan agroindustri nasional, (2) Memperkuat jeraring antara berbagai komponen yang bergerak dalam agroindustri untuk melahirkan peluang-peluang, (3) Memberikan kontribusi strategi dan langkah-langkah penguatan agroindustri nasional, dan (4) Mengkaji isu-isu terkini dalam agroindustri nasional yang meliputi pengembangan teknologi terdepan, peranannya dalam menanggulangi ketahanan pangan dan pengentasan kemiskinan dan mengurangi pengangguran, strategi peningkatan daya saing, bioenergi dan lingkungan, serta pendidikan dan technopreneurship.

Peserta kegiatan ini adalah praktisi dan akademisi agroindustri, pemerintah, alumni serta para dosen Departemen Teknologi Industri Pertanian Fateta IPB. Acara ini diperkirakan dihadiri lebih dari 300 peserta.

Pembicara pada simposium ini adalah Keynote speaker: H. Suharyo Husen, BSc, SE, MBA (Kadin Indonesia). Pembicara panel discussion: (1) Dr. Imran Farooque (Representative to Indonesia, The United Nations Industrial Development Organization/UNIDO), (2) Dr. Ir. Atih Surjati Herman, MSc (Kementerian Perindustrian Republik Indonesia), dan (3) Ir. Mohammad Nadjikh (Presiden Direktur PT. Kelola Mina Laut). Pembicara diskusi kelompok/kaukus adalah para dosen Dep. TIN IPB dan praktisi agroindustri dari para alumni Dep. TIN IPB.

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Kegiatan tersebut disponsori oleh Dep TIN IPB, Bank Mandiri, PT Bakrie Sumatera Plantations, PT Perkebunan Nusantara XII (Persero), CV Multi Agro Lestari, PT Rumah Pikat, PT Indosat Tbk., PT Kelola Mina Laut, Misterblek Blended Coffee, Harian GoSport, dan PT OTI. (OS)

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Himalogin Menyelenggarakan Hari Warga Industri (HAGATRI) 2011

Himpunan Mahasiswa Teknologi Industri Pertanian (Himalogin) kembali menyelengarakan kegiatan masa pengenalan departemen bagi mahasiswa tingkat dua (TIN 47) Departemen Teknologi Industri Pertanian (TIN) Fateta IPB. Untuk tahun ini, kegiatan tersebut bernama Hari Warga Industri (HAGATRI) 2011. Kegiatan yang dimulai pada hari Minggu, 18 September 2011 tersebut berlangsung selama tiga hari. Kegiatan dibuka dengan upacara di halaman Balairung AMN. Acara tersebut diisi dengan pengenalan mengenai agroindustri dan teknologi industri pertanian yang diberikan oleh perwakilan dosen dan alumni Dep. TIN. Tujuan kegiatan tersebut diantaranya adalah agar mahasiswa baru Dep. TIN dapat belajar dengan baik selama menuntut ilmu di IPB. HAGATRI merupakan salah satu program kerja unggulan Himalogin dan kegiatan tersebut merupakan proses kaderisasi bagi mahasiswa Teknologi Industri Pertanian angkatan 47. Penyelenggara kegiatan tersebut adalah Mahasiswa TIN 46 dengan dukungan dari Himalogin. (OS)

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Rabuan Bersama Fateta IPB

Fateta IPB mengadakan acara Rabuan Bersama Fateta IPB di Balairung Abdul Moeis Nasoetion (AMN) Fateta IPB pada tanggal 24 Agustus 2011. Acara tersebut dibuka oleh Dekan Fateta, Dr. Ir. Sam Herodian, MS. Agenda Rabuan Bersama akhir

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semester genap 2010/2011 tersebut adalah evaluasi akademik, penghargaan akademisi berprestasi, dan sosialisasi pemilihan dekan periode 2011-2015. Evaluasi akademik disampaikan oleh Wakil Dekan, Dr. Ir. Sugiyono, MAppSc. Pada acara penghargaan akademisi berprestasi, Dekan Fateta memberikan selamat dan penghargaan kepada akademisi berprestasi Fateta tahun 2011, yakni Dr. Ir. Desrial, MEng; Dr. Ono Suparno, STP, MT; Andri Marzuki, AMd; Dra. Novi Susilorini A.; Siti Akmalia, AMd; Maji; dan Leo Wibisono. Sosialisasi pemilihan dekan dilakukan oleh ketua panitia pemilihan dekan Fateta periode 2011-2015, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ir. Suprihatin. (OS)

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Departemen TIN mengadakan Workshop Penyusunan Portofolio Matakuliah

Pada tanggal 10 - 11 Agustus 2011, Departemen Teknologi Industri Pertanian (TIN) Fateta IPB mengadakan Workshop Penyusunan Portofolio Matakuliah, Evaluasi Outcome Matakuliah, dan Pengembangan Program Continuous Improvement. Workshop yang dibuka oleh Kadep TIN, Prof. Dr. Ir. Nastiti Siswi Indrasti tersebut diikuti oleh para dosen Dep. TIN Fateta IPB. Selain dilakukan untuk pengembangan kurikulum berkelanjutan di Dep. TIN, workshop tersebut diselenggarakan untuk persiapan akreditasi internasional ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). Pada bagian akhir workshop tersebut dipresentasikan hasil-hasil workshop untuk ketiga bidang keahlian (stream), yakni Teknik dan Sistem industri, Proses dan Bioproses, dan Teknik dan Managemen Industri. (OS)

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Finalis Pemilihan Peneliti Muda Indonesia 2006

KORAN TEMPO, 23 November 2006

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JAKARTA

– Sebanyak 15 peneliti muda terpilih sebagai finalis Pemilihan Peneliti Muda Indonesia XIII Tahun 2006. Para finalis ini telah disaring dari 73 karya tulis yang diterima panitia Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI).

Para peneliti dari lima bidang ilmu ini harus mempresentasikan karya tulisnya pada 28 November mendatang untuk memperebutkan juara pertama sebagai peneliti terbaik. Para finalis dari bidang ilmu pengetahuan sosial adalah Ali Akbar, dosen Program Studi Arkeologi Universitas Indonesia; Taufik S., dosen Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Muhammadiyah, Surakarta; dan Suwignyo Rahman, peneliti Kajian Strategis Demokrasi dan Sosial.

Finalis dari bidang ilmu pengetahuan teknik dan rekayasa adalah Ono Suparno, dosen Institut Pertanian Bogor; Yudi Darma, dosen Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam Institut Teknologi Bandung; serta Mohammad Sholihul Hadi, dosen Fakultas Teknik Universitas Negeri Malang. Di bidang ekonomi dan manajemen, finalisnya adalah Lena Ellitan, dosen Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Widya Mandala; Joko Waluyo, dosen Jurusan Ilmu Ekonomi Universitas Pembangunan Nasional; dan Sylvia Veronica Narulita Purnama Siregar, dosen magister akuntansi Universitas Indonesia.

Tiga finalis bidang ilmu pengetahuan alam dan lingkungan adalah Hagi Yulia Sugeha, peneliti Pusat Penelitian Oseanografi LIPI; Sutopo Hadi, dosen kimia Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam Universitas Lampung; serta Etik Mardiyati, peneliti Pusat Teknologi Farmasi dan Medika Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi. Sedangkan finalis di bidang ilmu pengetahuan kedokteran dan kesehatan adalah Muhammad Ali, dosen Fakultas Peternakan Universitas Mataram; Budi Hidayat, dosen Departemen Administrasi dan Kebijakan Kesehatan Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Indonesia, serta Susi Endrini, dosen Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Yarsi.

Kegiatan yang diselenggarakan sejak 1990 ini diharapkan dapat mengembangkan budaya meneliti bagi generasi muda dan meningkatkan apresiasi ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi serta mewadahi keingintahuan peneliti muda. Kegiatan ini juga mengisi program Tahun Indonesia untuk Ilmu Pengetahuan 2005-2006 yang

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dicanangkan Presiden pada 27 Oktober 2005. LIPI

Sumber: http://www.korantempo.com/korantempo/koran/2006/11/23/Ilmu_dan_Teknologi/kr n.20061123.87535.id.html

*** All change! Graham Lampard spoke with Paul Richardson, the new subject leader for the British School of Leather Technology, about his hopes for the future of leather teaching

Published: 12 September, 2004

Twenty one years ago, as part of the old HND course, I was standing in L6 of the National Leathersellers’ Centre giving my first lecture – about veininess, its causes and possible solutions.

On the face of it, little seems to have changed at BSLT in the intervening years. OK, they have a degree course instead of the HND but there is still the Leathersellers’ Certificate and the Pre-diploma course.

I was in a minority, a white student from the UK, and not from a tanning background. The UK industry was contracting from producing commodity leathers to specialised ones, and we couldn’t believe that Garnar Booth were in merger talks with Pittards.

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However, appearances as we all know can be deceptive and as I found out from Paul Richardson, the new subject leader at the school, there are changes afoot.

‘The role of BSLT will change over the next few years because we are building links with other parts of the college (UCN). We have already linked in with fashion, for instance, as evidenced by our recent success at Pielespana’, (see Leather International, page 2, March).

UCN is also hoping to launch a degree in footwear and accessories, and the intention is to have some leather modules within that, possibly even to the extent of fashion students coming to the Leather Centre and the students completing the dyeing and finishing of leathers, which they will then use to make items. ‘It would allow them, the fashion students, to see the problems associated with achieving the correct shading etc’, Richardson said.

BSLT are also linking with UCN’s business school to offer a new MBA with leather technology. ‘This is going through validation later in the year and could be offered early next year’, Richardson commented. ‘It will include a couple of leather modules with the students doing a business-based project, so it will be for management trainees who want a little bit of the technical side, to get the best of both worlds.’

I wondered what the main priority was for the new head of school. ‘One of the changes I’d like to see is that, at the moment, we rely on the leather industry sending us students, when we should be present at careers fairs, persuading students to come here, training them up and sending them out to industry. The chemical industry, for instance, doesn’t expect BP or Shell to take on employees and send them on a degree course; it works the other way round. And so it should with us.’

This is a good point, but the question has to be asked why is there such a poor response from schools and further education colleges in the UK when it comes to recruiting students for the industry? Surely BSLT has everything going for it, a wide ranging course that requires diverse skills in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, physics, engineering etc. And plentiful jobs available: the lack of trained graduates is graphically illustrated when you read the figures – something like a quarter of a million trained leather technicians are believed to be needed in India alone.

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‘What we have got to do is improve our marketing and profile. This is my number one priority. I have to make sure people a) know we exist and b) know what we actually do.’ Initially, this will probably involve BSLT staff visiting the tanning areas in the UK and talking about the training opportunities to the students in the local schools, so that they can come to the BSLT and train. They would then return to Yeovil, for example, ready for Pittards to employ them. Richardson said they would also take someone from the local tannery to tell the kids what they do in the factory. ‘We need to introduce people into the industry and develop a pool of technicians that is available for the industry to use.’

My one concern is that with a declining number of students taking science degrees, or even A’ level sciences, is there the pool of students ready and willing to make a career in, what can frankly be described as, ‘a dirty, smelly and low-paid industry’?

There is also the question of student loans and whether it is better for a technician to find employment and then go on training courses via, for instance, day release or apprenticeships, than to study full-time and run up a large debt. What the industry really needs, I think, is a successful distance learning course, whereby the student is learning while on site and available for work; or away on a day-release course. But, given the paucity of day-release courses in main stream sciences these days, I guess that is a pipe dream that is unlikely to come to fruition.

However, there may be some light. Richardson comments: ‘The MSc in leather technology is being reformatted and is currently going through validation. We’ve re-written the whole course with new module titles and people will be able to carry out the work at their place of employment, or at home. At the moment, the modules will be sent as a hard copy on a CD, the main reason being that many of the countries we hope to involve have poor access to high powered computers and reliable communications can be a problem.

‘The student will do as many of the modules as they want, send the work back to us, and build up towards an intermediate qualification of a Post Graduate Certificate or Diploma or, when they’ve completed the course, an MSc. The problem with leather technology is that there is a significant practical element and this has been solved by making it one module. So, if someone wants to complete an MSc, they’ll have to find six weeks to come here and complete an intensive practical programme.’

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Richardson added: ‘It is intended to replace the full time MSc course that currently runs and which has had poor attendance and disappointing recruitment since its inception.’ However, there is also the possibility of doing the distance learning course at the BSLT. ‘They will come here and work through the distance learning material. So, we will give them the distance learning material and if they get stuck they can ‘come and talk to us’ or we’ll run tutorials on a regular basis.’ The true distance learning student, however, will have to rely on e-mail, phone calls or post when they get stuck. Richardson thought this would eventually be extended to other courses.

In another revamp, the BSc is being rewritten. ‘It’s been in existence for twelve years and, while it is constantly updated, UCN wants it to be part of its common academic framework, which means the modules within it will be available to students on other courses, and vice versa.’

Thus there is the possibility of majoring in leather technology with French and shoe design. Although the idea is still in the early stages, this seems an excellent idea, widening both the appeal of leather technology to non-leather students and producing students for the leather industry with a well-rounded degree.

Moving away from recruiting students, although part of the same equation, I wondered whether the BSLT was aware of the needs of the modern leather industry. ‘We have the leather industry advisory committee (LIAC) and the technical liaison group, but they do have a very high European bias, so I think the honest answer is probably ‘no’, Richardson admitted. ‘What we need to do is go out and talk to people, at fairs, and communicate with the worldwide industry and ask them what we should be doing with our resources.

‘We intend to re-introduce the Wednesday afternoon lectures, so allowing industry a forum to speak to the students about their aspect of leather production. And I feel that with the staff changes that have taken place recently, we have improved the balance of industrially experienced to academic staff.’

An area that must concern the hierarchy of UCN is that of competition. From being an exclusive ‘club’, the training of leather technology has taken off all over the world. Most leather producing countries now have some form of leather industry

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training, and so competition for BSLT is increasing.

However, Richardson is cautious: ‘I don’t think we need to compete with [other training schools], we need to collaborate with them. UCN is very careful about ‘franchising’ courses; the problem is maintaining quality. What we would sooner do is accredit other countries’ courses. We’d look at what they are delivering, the level they are delivering, and say ‘we will take your graduates into our courses at this level which may be final-year degree, for instance. The other thing we are doing, as mentioned, is going into distance learning.’

When I was training at the Leather Centre, especially in the early 80s, there was always an air of ‘them’ and ‘us’ about Nene College and the National Leathersellers’ Centre. However, that has changed: ‘The rector is extremely supportive towards us’, Richardson enthused, ‘for which we are very grateful. There is no suggestion that the Leather Centre’s days are numbered.’ An interesting comment, as it hadn’t crossed my mind that this might be the case.

In fact as was pointed out, BSLT gives UCN a ‘huge international platform’, something that Anne Tate, the rector, has recognised. She has attended fairs in both Bologna and Hong Kong and sits on the LIAC committee. Known for getting her way, it was rumoured that the leathers used for the UCN students’ outfits that won at Pielespana were given by a well-known tanner because of her negotiating skills!

‘UCN is currently in the process of applying for university status with full research and taught degree awarding powers, and one of the things that every university needs is courses that are unique. Here we have leather technology, lift technology, and waste management. From that point of view we are seen as unique’, Richardson said, as if to emphasise how the importancent of BSLT is. And with the push for university status, BSLT is also diversifying in its research areas. ‘It’s no longer purely leather, but includes biomaterials and the possibilities of growing skin by cell culture. I would like to mention that we have been very successful recently in gaining grants from both EPSRC, BBSRC and EU funded projects such as RESTORM.’

In these tough times, other revenue sources are needed and BSLT is expanding into these as well. One area is contract research for companies. Richardson gave an example of a product that is used in the textile industry and the company was

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interested in seeing whether it had an application to leather. They are running a six-week project at BSLT with a final-year student making the leather incorporating this product to see whether it has the desired effect. Just the sort of thing I did at BLC when I was there.

‘This is something we’d like to expand as we’ve had two or three of these [contracts] and it’s another source of revenue. Another area of interest is contract tanning.’ The aim is to utilise the facilities available, making them more productive for the BSLT and UCN.

There is also, of course, consultancy: ‘We have a lot of experience here, and not only in the leather industry. For instance, my background is from analytical chemistry. In my time, I’ve analysed everything from nuclear power station effluent to food. Other members of staff also have experience outside the leather industry, so there is knowledge that we can sell’, Richardson commented.

This utilisation of staff and equipment extends to the range of analytical tools the BSLT has picked up over the past few years. Apart from the tannery, it has access to a new electron microscope and a differential scanning calorimeter, both of which can be hired out: ‘We hope to have further acquisitions, via grants for projects from the various funding bodies and so be able to build on this services side, generating much-needed income’.

The problem, again, is how to market these facilities? There are many local firms, quite big ones, who may not have such equipment, including Formula One companies for instance (and BLC), who use high technology materials, and who would jump at the chance to use an SEM or DSC. On the marketing side, one answer may be UCN’s business bridge, which links the college facilities to industry, certainly within the East Midlands region, and sells the technology that UCN can offer.

Finally, I asked Richardson how he’d like to leave the BSLT at the end of his tenure. ‘I’d like to leave the school thriving. When I came here 21 years ago, there was an intake of about 60 students a year. That has dwindled over the intervening years, but we are seeing an increase now and I’d like to see us continue that trend. We have to take our students from wherever the leather industry is strong and I need to make sure we are a service to the leather industry, providing what they want.’ So,

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the BSLT is not at all like the National Leathersellers’ Centre I first visited in 1983 and spent so many fruitful years attending. Much of the change is necessary to ensure that the leather industry worldwide continues to benefit from the training that many generations of leather technologists have been fortunate to receive – long may it continue.

Leathersellers award ceremony

The annual award ceremony was once again held at the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers in the City of London. While there are always absenses by students who have returned to their home countries, there were a good number in attendance. The following lists them in the order in which they accepted their diplomas:

Bsc Materials Technology (Leather), year three:

Mohammed Tahir Khurshid, India

Charles Mwangi Ndung’u, Kenya

Arthur Steven Onyuka, Kenya

Dale Phua Jing Yuh, Singapore

Ramaganesh Singaravadivelen, India

Junxiu Sun, China

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Jeannine Vromans, Holland

Msc Leather Technology

Mohamad Mamun Alom, Bangladesh

Fernando Buxo Molist, Mexico

Joseph N Mbogo, Kenya

PhD

Ono Suparno, Indonesia

Prize winners

The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers award prizes to the three final-year BSc students who have gained the highest marks over the three years of their course: 1st Ramaganesh Singaravadivelen; 2nd Dale Phua Jing Yuh; 3rd Arthur Steven Onyuka. In addition there is also a Leathersellers prize for students taking their leather certificates and the winner of this prize was Chee Hoo Ong, Stahl Singapore.

The Leather International prize for the most promising overseas student went to Danny Ching Kwan Tse from Hong Kong.

Sumber: http://www.leathermag.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/9311/All_change!.html

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Selected News Fateta Menerima Kunjungan Siswa SMA-IT Al Binaa

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