STUDENTS OF THE 2022 MARINE SCIENCE STUDY PROGRAM GAIN INSIGHT THROUGH FIELDTRIP
At the end of June, from 24-30 June 2024, a group of students from the Marine Science Study Program and several accompanying lecturers carried out a field trip. This activity is part of the Marine Practice course, and this time, the destination of the student field trip was Malaysia. The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Indra Cahyadinata, opened and released the student field trip activity on June 24, 2024. The field trip group took the land route to Padang City, West Sumatra, by bus and then departed by air for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia..
The student field trip included visits to various academic institutions, research, and tourist attractions. In addition, students also carried out beach cleaning activities as a form of concern for the coastal environment. The location visited by the students was the Marine Ecosystem Research Center (EKOMAR), one of the research centers under the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, located in the city of Johor. At that location, students held discussions and saw various specimens of marine biota. In the same city, students carried out a beach cleaning action in collaboration with the Trash Hero Mersing Community.
The next visit was to the Institute of Tropical Aquaculture Hatchery (AKUATROP), a research center focusing on marine biota cultivation under Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Students visited the laboratory and museum of AKUATROP research results (hatchery, INOS, laboratory). In addition, students also received a public lecture from AKUATROP researchers. Not only visits on the same occasion, but the Marine Science Study Program also held a meeting with AKUATROP stakeholders to discuss the cooperation agreement between Akuatrop and the Marine Science Study Program.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was the last institution that became a place for students to visit. In UKM, Marine Science Study Program students also had the opportunity to visit various laboratories owned by the Marine Science Study Program UKM. In addition, students held discussions with UKM students, while the mentors also held discussions with stakeholders for cooperation opportunities between agencies.
Visits to several tourist attractions were conducted in popular locations in Kuala Lumpur and between agency visits. The students’ field trip journey ended on June 30, 2024, with their arrival back in Bengkulu City. This Field Trip activity aims to increase students’ insight and open up opportunities for collaboration between the Marine Science Study Program, the University of Bengkulu, and various international educational institutions.
