The Department of Geography FMIPA UI is supported by PT Esri Indonesia and the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) to hold a Geography Days event titled “Today’s Geography” on Wednesday (10/10) in the Floating Room, UI Depok.
The event which lasted until Saturday (10/13) was packed with a variety of activities including a national geography seminar aimed at developing the talent of the geography department students, as well as the national geography olympiad for high school students and also students to help develop their interests and potential students, there are also workshops and tourist workshops.
Dr. rer nat. Abdul Haris as the Dean officially opened this event. In his remarks, he thanked BIG and PT. Esri Indonesia who has fully supported this activity also appreciated the Geography Department Student Association (HMD) who had organized this activity well.
Haris revealed that this activity was important because it was part of the effort of FMIPA UI in grounding geography to the public at large. He said the scope of learning in the discipline of geography was relatively broad. Geography studies everything that is on the surface of the earth and the factors that influence it, both physical, social, and technical aspects.
However, continued Haris, there are still many people who do not know the scope of this geography. Sometimes the discipline of geography is underestimated as a science that only requires memorization skills, even though geography is a complex and applicable science.
“There are also many people who are still ignorant of pure geography and its job prospects, the community considers all geography graduates in tertiary education will only become lecturers”. said Haris.
In line with Haris, Dr. Supriatna M.T. The Chair of the Geography Department explained that the employment prospects of geography graduates are very broad and promising. This is because geography plays an important role in the planning, development and policy-making processes in the development process in Indonesia.
“We are here as influencers for the people of Indonesia who have a mission to align and change the mindset about the importance of geography in the face of the information society and this era of development.” He said.
He hopes that through the series of Geography Days 10th FMIPA UI programs, it can introduce the discipline of geography as a step to change the way people view geography.
“Hopefully, all levels of Indonesian society can get to know, get closer, and understand more about this discipline”. he added.
Also attending the event were the leaders of the FMIPA UI department, Dr. Achmad Istamar as the CEO of PT. ESRI Indonesia, and Prof. Dr. Ir. Hasanuddin Zainal Abidin, M.Sc. Eng. as the chairman of BIG.
