Center for Statistical Ecology and Environmental Statistics Strengthening the Role of Higher Education in GeoInformatics Utilization A Transdisciplinary Approach Bogor Agricultural University s Case By Asep Saefuddin1 and Awang Maharijaya2 1 2 Department of Statistics Bogor Agricultural University Bogor Indonesia Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Bogor Agricultural University Bogor Indonesia This material is based upon work partially supported by i the National Science Foundation under Grant No 0307010 Any opinions findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agencies Presented at the 7th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research Technical Report Number 2006 0537 TECHNICAL REPORTS AND REPRINTS SERIES May 2006 Department of Statistics The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 G P Patil Distinguished Professor and Director Tel 814 865 9442 Fax 814 865 1278 Email gpp stat psu edu http www stat psu edu gpp http www stat psu edu hotspots DGOnline News Environmental and Ecological Statistics Springer An Equal Opportunity University Strengthening the Role of Higher Education in GeoInformatics Utilization A Transdisciplinary Approach Bogor Agricultural University s Case Asep Saefuddin Bogor Agricultural University Department of Statistics Vice Rector for Planning Development and Collaboration nd Rectorate Building 2 floor Kampus IPB Darmaga Bogor 16680 INDONESIA 62 251 622643 wakilrektor4 ipb ac id Awang Maharijaya Bogor Agricultural University Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Assistant to Vice Rector for Academic Affair nd Rectorate Building 2 floor Kampus IPB Darmaga Bogor 16680 INDONESIA 62 811118268 awangmaharijaya ipb ac id ABSTRACT This paper describes how Bogor Agricultural University IPB as a higher educational institution manages its resources in order to gain the optimum level of geoinformatics utilization Transdisciplinary approach has been performed to reshape its educational system including the input process output and outcome its impact to the society As a result IPB will have integrative and relevant education program research and community service and their continuous improvement based on geoinformatics approach Several examples of geoinformatics research are provided Categories and Subject Descriptors A 0 General A m Miscellaneous General Terms Management Human Factors Economics Keywords holistic higher education transdicipline a Common first year program The students have to take required courses in basic intermediate mathematics basic sociology basic natural sciences physics chemistry and biology multicultural extra curricula holistic agriculture entrepreneurship English and religion 1 INTRODUCTION The utilization of geoinformatics for spatial and temporal hotspot detection and prioritization is necessity in modern society Many complex problems can be approached geoinformatically incorporating various angles holistically supported by powerful information technology and statistical methods Hence higher education has an obligation to lay strong scientific foundation for the students By understanding the essence of geoinformatics and its technologies researchers may obtain accurate information and provide appropriate recommendations 2 GEOINFORMATICS AND RESTRUCTURING IPB Due to the inevitability of geoinformatics approach and to obtain the optimum level of understanding it IPB reshaped its system to produce high quality graduates rich with experiences in multidisciplinary researches and community services Cluster analysis Bartholomew 2002 was applied to obtain appropriate grouping of academic departments based on department mandates science technology natural sciences social sciences information technology and mathematics and market needs Hence the academic department at IPB can be clustered into four groups socioeconomic management natural resources engineering technology and basic and natural sciences 3 EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IPB views education is holistic system started from incoming students input learning process output graduates and its impact to society outcome In term of learning process IPB provides integration among education research and community service Hence the students have to understand the societal complex problems and the role of science and technology in solving the problems To obtain deep understanding of integrative approach supported by strong quantitative and qualitative methods the education processes at IPB are as follows b At the following years they have to take a major option provided by academic departments and one minor Besides their major minor all students are required to take basic intermediate statistical methods research methodology and computer science such as geographic information system to strengthen their analytical and research skills For research and community service IPB provides an integrated Tridharma concept i e three main functions education research and community service Hence students are exposed to community based problems to be discussed in class Based on this strong connection among education research and community service IPB has contributed many concepts for national development For example the food rice selfsufficiency program 1980s interlink regional development 1980 1990 community nutrition 1990s local village selfreliance 2005 Aceh recovery program 2005 remote area development program 2006 and many others Hence students have real experiences in doing research in relation to the community services At input level since 2003 IPB had collaborated with local government providing local government fellowship Students with this fellowship have to return to their local area after they get the degree It is expected that in the near future they can create a suitable concept on regional development with respect to societal needs environmental aspects and appropriate technologies Besides the local government scholarship IPB invites 10 top students from recognized SMA senior high school in Indonesia Hence IPB s students are from all provinces who usually come from rural areas The input process output outcome system is continuously reviewed by analyzing the internal aspect as well as external factors Hence IPB always catch up the rapid change of globalization including basic understanding and real application of geoinformatics To optimize the program both national and