The Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), together with FMIPA USK, officially signed Cooperation Agreements with the Aceh Transportation Agency and the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency on July 6, 2026. Held at FMIPA Universitas Syiah Kuala in Banda Aceh, the event marked a strategic step toward strengthening collaboration between higher education institutions and regional government agencies in the fields of education, research, and community engagement.
The event was attended by Prof. Dr. Taufik Fuadi Abidin, S.Si., M.Tech., Dean of FMIPA USK; Dr. Nasrullah, S.Si., M.Si., M.Sc., Vice Dean for Academic Affairs; Dr. Muhammad Subianto, S.Si., M.Si., Vice Dean for Resources and Finance; Dr. Ir. Wira Dharma, S.Si., M.P., M.Si., Vice Dean for Student Affairs, Alumni, and Partnerships; and Dr. Dra. Intan Syahrini, M.Si., Head of the Department of Mathematics, FMIPA USK. Representing the partner institutions were T. Faisal, S.T., M.T., Head of the Aceh Transportation Agency; Muhammad Dahlan, S.T., M.Si., Head of the Railway, Aviation, and Transportation Development Division; Arrad Iskandar, S.T., M.M., M.Sc., Junior Expert Policy Analyst; and Dedy Rezika, S.STP., M.Si., Secretary of the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency. The event was also attended by officials from the Aceh Transportation Agency and the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency, as well as faculty members from the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Statistics, FMIPA Universitas Syiah Kuala, demonstrating their collective support for strengthening institutional collaboration.
The event commenced at 11:00 AM (WIB) with welcoming remarks by Prof. Dr. Taufik Fuadi Abidin, S.Si., M.Tech., Dean of FMIPA USK. In his address, he emphasized the importance of fostering synergy between academia and government institutions to generate innovative solutions for regional development challenges through research and scientific collaboration.
The next remarks were delivered by T. Faisal, S.T., M.T., Head of the Aceh Transportation Agency, who expressed his appreciation for the partnership with FMIPA USK and highlighted the potential of this collaboration to support the development of data-driven transportation systems through scientific research. This was followed by Dedy Rezika, S.STP., M.Si., Secretary of the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency, who expressed his hope that the partnership would contribute meaningfully to strengthening the industrial and trade sectors through the application of science and technology.
The highlight of the event was the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Implementation Arrangement (IA) between FMIPA USK, the Department of Mathematics, the Aceh Transportation Agency, and the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency. These agreements provide the foundation for implementing a wide range of collaborative programs in the future.
Through this partnership, all parties are committed to developing various academic and professional initiatives, including seminars, workshops, student internship and fieldwork programs, the involvement of practitioners and professionals as guest lecturers, and collaborative research projects aimed at addressing real-world challenges faced by society.
Mathematics plays a vital role in supporting the missions of both government agencies, particularly through mathematical modeling, data analytics, optimization techniques, and computational methods that facilitate evidence-based decision-making. Complex issues in the transportation, industrial, and trade sectors can be analyzed using mathematical approaches, resulting in scientifically grounded and data-driven recommendations for policy and operational improvements.
This collaboration also builds upon an established partnership between the institutions. In previous years, students from the Department of Mathematics at FMIPA USK completed internship and fieldwork programs at both agencies, with four students placed at the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency and five students at the Aceh Transportation Agency. These experiences enabled students to apply their mathematical knowledge in professional settings while gaining valuable insights into the challenges encountered by government institutions.
Through the signing of these cooperation agreements, the Department of Mathematics at FMIPA USK hopes to further strengthen its partnership with the Aceh Transportation Agency and the Aceh Industry and Trade Agency through sustainable and impactful collaborative programs. This partnership is expected not only to enhance the quality of education and research but also to generate innovative solutions that contribute to regional development while demonstrating the significant role of mathematics in addressing challenges within the public sector.