Universitas Andalas Held Employer Meeting in Jakarta to Strengthen SDGs-Oriented Collaboration with Industry and Alumni

Jakarta, May 7, 2026 — Universitas Andalas successfully held the Employer Meeting Universitas Andalas – Jakarta 2026 at ARTOTEL Gelora Senayan, Jakarta, bringing together selected alumni who currently serve as corporate leaders, commissioners, executives of state-owned enterprises, CEOs, and strategic decision-makers across various sectors.

The meeting was designed as a strategic, structured, and action-oriented forum to gather insights from industry leaders regarding graduate quality, workforce expectations, and concrete collaboration opportunities. More importantly, the forum generated important inputs and measurable commitments to support Universitas Andalas’ institutional transformation and its contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The initiative was closely aligned with several SDG priorities, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, through efforts to improve graduate relevance and employability; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, through internship, recruitment, and career development opportunities; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, through research collaboration, downstream innovation, and commercialization; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through stronger cooperation among universities, alumni, industry, government, and development partners.

The event took place from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. WIB and began with registration, welcome coffee, VIP reception, and documentation, followed by an executive dinner and table conversation. The main discussion session focused on two key questions: how well Universitas Andalas graduates met current industry demands, and what concrete collaborations could be initiated within the next six months.

Unlike conventional open forums, the discussion applied a structured format to ensure that every contribution remained focused, efficient, and solution-driven. The session included moderator framing, curated lightning insights from selected alumni, a rapid open floor segment, and a synthesis of key discussion outcomes by the moderator.

Through this discussion, Universitas Andalas gathered strategic insights on graduate quality, industry expectations, and priority areas for collaboration. The outcomes provided valuable references for the university in aligning academic programs, research agendas, innovation priorities, and partnership strategies with the needs of industry and society.

Following the main discussion, the event continued with a Commitment Conversion and Networking Session, where participants engaged directly with Universitas Andalas representatives through thematic commitment stations. These stations covered four priority areas: internship and recruitment, research and downstreaming, scholarships and endowment, and teaching and mentorship.

Through this mechanism, the meeting successfully transformed dialogue into concrete commitments. Alumni and industry partners were encouraged to contribute through various forms of support, including student internship opportunities, graduate recruitment pathways, joint research, innovation downstreaming, scholarship support, endowment development, guest lectures, mentorship, and curriculum enrichment.

The Rector of Universitas Andalas, Dr. Efa Yonnedi, SE., MPPM., Akt., CA., CRGP, stated that the Employer Meeting was not merely a ceremonial gathering, but a strategic platform to connect the university’s academic mission with real-world challenges.

“Universitas Andalas must continue to strengthen its relevance to society, industry, and global development agendas. Through this Employer Meeting, we received direct insights from alumni and industry leaders so that our graduates, research, and innovations can contribute more significantly to sustainable development,” Dr. Efa Yonnedi said.

The Rector further emphasized that the forum reflected the university’s commitment to improving the quality of education and expanding partnerships in line with the SDGs.

“Our transformation should be measured not only by rankings or institutional achievements, but also by the extent to which Universitas Andalas contributes to quality education, decent work, innovation, and impactful partnerships. These are the values embedded in the SDGs and in our vision toward global reputation,” he added.

The Vice Rector IV of Universitas Andalas, Prof. Dr. Henmaidi, S.T., M.Eng.Sc., who oversees planning, research, innovation, and cooperation, highlighted the important role of alumni as bridges between the university and the professional world.

“Alumni are among the most valuable strategic partners of Universitas Andalas. Many of them now hold influential positions in companies, government institutions, state-owned enterprises, and international networks. Their insights helped us better understand future skills, industry transformation, and new opportunities for collaboration,” Prof. Henmaidi stated.

According to Prof. Henmaidi, the meeting produced important partnership pathways that could be followed up within a clear timeline.

“This meeting generated actionable commitments. Internship programs, recruitment channels, joint research, downstream innovation, scholarships, endowment support, teaching involvement, and mentorship are practical contributions that can accelerate the university’s transformation and strengthen our contribution to SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9, and SDG 17,” he added.

The Secretary of Universitas Andalas, Dr. Aidinil Zetra, MA, underlined the importance of institutional coordination to ensure that the commitments produced during the meeting would be documented, monitored, and implemented effectively.

“The key to the success of this forum was structured discussion, clear documentation, and measurable follow-up. Every commitment must be translated into a concrete action plan involving faculties, study programs, directorates, alumni networks, and industry partners,” Dr. Aidinil Zetra said.

He further noted that the Employer Meeting supported the university’s broader governance transformation by promoting evidence-based decision-making and stronger stakeholder engagement.

“The insights gathered from alumni and employers will help Universitas Andalas improve its academic services, partnership management, graduate development, and institutional responsiveness. This is part of our effort to build a more adaptive, collaborative, and globally connected university,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chair of the EQUITY Program, Dr. Eng. Muhammad Makky, S.TP., M.Si., emphasized that the Employer Meeting was strongly connected to EQUITY’s mission to expand equitable and impactful collaboration for Universitas Andalas.

“EQUITY was designed to promote meaningful partnerships, including staff and student mobility, capacity building, non-degree training, and improvement of learning facilities. The Employer Meeting strengthened this mission by connecting alumni leadership, industry needs, and university transformation into one strategic platform,” Dr. Eng. Muhammad Makky said.

He also highlighted that the four commitment areas discussed during the meeting were directly relevant to sustainable development and institutional competitiveness.

“Internship and recruitment supported SDG 8 by preparing students for decent work. Research and downstreaming supported SDG 9 by encouraging innovation and commercialization. Scholarships and endowment contributed to SDG 4 by expanding access to quality education. Teaching and mentorship strengthened knowledge transfer and long-term capacity building. Together, these commitments reflected SDG 17, partnerships for the goals,” he explained.

Dr. Eng. Muhammad Makky added that the strength of the forum lay in its focus on measurable outcomes.

“This was not an open-ended discussion. The design encouraged selected alumni to provide sharp insights, identify concrete collaboration opportunities, and make real commitments. Through this approach, Universitas Andalas can move faster in transforming ideas into programs, and programs into measurable impact,” he said.

The event concluded with networking, commitment gathering, and a closing resume session. By combining structured discussion, strategic alumni engagement, and SDGs-oriented commitment building, the Employer Meeting Universitas Andalas – Jakarta 2026 became an important platform for strengthening university-industry collaboration and accelerating Universitas Andalas’ journey toward stronger global reputation.

Together with its alumni, industry partners, and strategic stakeholders, Universitas Andalas reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sustainable development, enhancing graduate competitiveness, and building impactful partnerships for the future.