Enviro News Asia, California — Indonesia expands its higher education and research partnerships with the United States through a working visit by Indonesian Ambassador to the United States, Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo, and Consul General in San Francisco, Yohpy Ichsan Wardana, to the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) on 14 November 2025. The visit aims to deepen collaboration in academic exchange, scientific innovation, and human capital development.
UC Davis leadership welcomes the delegation upon arrival, including Sarah Olson, Director of Global Partnerships; Ermias Kebreab, Associate Dean for Global Engagement at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Dr. Tonya Kuhl, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Associate Director of the UC Davis Coffee Center; Dr. Nancy Allen, expert in international development and agricultural program evaluation; and Prof. Jean-Xavier Guinard, specialist in sensory science and consumer food preference analysis. The meeting proceeds constructively, reaffirming a shared commitment to expand bilateral cooperation.
UC Davis, a prominent land-grant research university, presents its long-standing strengths in agriculture, food science, environmental studies, and animal health. The university records approximately 40,800 students, including around 170 Indonesian students currently pursuing various academic programs. UC Davis maintains a co-funding partnership with Indonesia’s Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP), supporting scholarship financing and joint research between UC Davis faculty and Indonesian universities and research institutions.
Both sides review opportunities to broaden collaboration in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM). Priority areas identified include smart agriculture, aquaculture, coffee and cocoa research, and artificial intelligence. One ongoing initiative highlighted during the discussions is a joint breeding research program between IPB University and UC Davis to develop superior cattle genetics that can strengthen Indonesia’s livestock resilience.
During the visit, the Ambassador observes facilities at the UC Davis Coffee Center, which conducts comprehensive research across the coffee value chain—from raw material selection and post-harvest processing to sensory evaluation and global consumer preference mapping. The university also showcases its cocoa research partnership with MARS, Inc., a global chocolate producer with cocoa plantations in Sulawesi. Indonesia sees significant potential in expanding cocoa research collaboration to enhance quality, productivity, and export competitiveness in the U.S. market.
UC Davis expresses readiness to mobilize research funding from international organizations such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Bezos Foundation, and the Gates Foundation. These resources will be aligned with LPDP’s co-funding mechanisms to accelerate high-quality research with direct societal benefits for both countries.
The visit underscores Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with U.S. institutions in agriculture and food security. Indonesia and the United States maintain longstanding ties through agricultural trade, knowledge sharing, and joint research involving government agencies, universities, and the private sector. Partnerships with leading research universities such as UC Davis play a crucial role in boosting Indonesia’s agricultural competitiveness, enhancing food system resilience, and developing advanced expertise in agriculture, livestock, and food technology.
Indonesia reaffirms its intent to pursue mutually beneficial collaboration with leading U.S. academic and research institutions. Through deeper cooperation, both countries aim to foster innovation and generate solutions that support sustainable development goals. (*)
