Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto reported that universities have established at least 28 relief posts to support citizens affected by floods and landslides across three provinces in Sumatra.
"Our ministry is pushing for the rapid, coordinated, and targeted mobilization of higher education institution resources," he noted in a statement cited in Jakarta on Saturday.
Yuliarto emphasized that the contributions of academics, researchers, and students to disaster response efforts in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra demonstrate the the importance of applying science, technology, and innovation for public benefit.
"Higher education institutions stand not only as centers for science but also as a source of power for humanitarian initiatives," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Director General of Higher Education Khairul Munadi underscored that the ministry has been in intensive coordination with universities in various regions to complement the government’s ongoing emergency measures.
He said his office is responsible for guiding campuses, including those located in disaster-hit regions, to ensure an adequate response through deploying volunteers, donating supply, and monitoring aid distribution.
"Syiah Kuala University, for example, has erected disaster relief posts in several regions across Aceh, namely Pidie, Bireuen, and Meulaboh," Munadi stated, describing the initiative as a concrete action to support affected residents.
He added that the ministry will continue coordinating campuses to mobilize medics, logistics volunteers, and technical teams according to each region’s needs to maintain efficiency and accuracy in field operations.
"It is crucial to expand the number of posts based on the needs of regions to ensure equitable access to aid," he said.
As a state-run institution, Syiah Kuala University has taken a range of steps to respond to the emergency, including deploying four surveyors from its Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Centers to Pidie Jaya District.
The university has also mobilized 15 medical residents specializing in surgery, pediatrics, anesthesiology, internal medicine, and orthopedics to a regional general hospital in the district.
Similarly, Teuku Umar University has been delivering assistance to flood-affected areas in West Aceh and Nagan Raya districts.
