SEMARANG (10/30) — The Ministry of Human Rights (KemenHAM) of the Republic of Indonesia and Universitas Diponegoro (Undip) officially established a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The event, held on Thursday (30/10) at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Undip in Semarang, also featured a public lecture delivered by the Minister of Human Rights, Natalius Pigai. His presence was warmly welcomed by the Dean of FISIP Undip, who hosted the event.

Also in attendance was the Head of the Department of Politics and Government Studies at FISIP Undip, Dr. Nur Hidayat Sardini, who also served as the organizing committee chair. In his report, he emphasized that “the university has a strong commitment to becoming a pioneer in promoting and implementing human rights values.”

He further stated that the collaboration between Universitas Diponegoro and the Ministry of Human Rights would continue to advance, as both parties have explored various areas of cooperation — including optimizing the implementation of education, research, and community service in the field of human rights; strengthening institutional and human resource capacity; and developing the Center for Human Rights Studies, which is currently being finalized.

In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si., Rector of Universitas Diponegoro, expressed his appreciation for the academic and non-academic achievements accomplished by the university. He highlighted several notable innovations and successes, such as the development of a desalination machine capable of converting brackish water into potable water, and Undip students’ victory as National First-Place Winners in the Indonesian Outstanding Student Competition (Pilmapres).

“Hopefully, we continue to embody Undip’s tagline —becoming ever more dignified and ever more beneficial,” he concluded.

The event proceeded with the MoU signing ceremony, officiated by Minister of Human Rights, Natalius Pigai and Rector of Undip, Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si. This partnership focuses on enhancing collaboration in education, research, and community service, particularly in the study and implementation of human rights principles.

Following the signing ceremony, a souvenir exchange and public lecture by Minister Pigai took place. Moderated by Bangkit Aditya Wiryawan, Ph.D., the lecture addressed the challenges and policy directions in human rights enforcement in Indonesia.

The session was highly interactive, with students and faculty members demonstrating great enthusiasm in engaging with the Minister. The Q&A session featured three selected participants, who posed in-depth questions regarding human rights strengthening efforts in Indonesia as part of maintaining national unity.

Through this event, Universitas Diponegoro reaffirmed its commitment to actively advancing the culture and implementation of human rights in Indonesia. The strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia is expected not only to expand academic and research opportunities but also to serve as a concrete step in realizing Undip’s vision as a dignified and socially impactful university.