A delegation from Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University, represented by the Director of International Cooperation, Dr. Simon Fraser, visited the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to strengthen cooperation in education and research. During the four-day visit from February 3 to 6, 2025, Dr. Simon also had the opportunity to visit several Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the Science Techno Park (STP UGM).
On February 5, 2025, Dr. Simon Fraser visited several locations, including a poultry farm, a coffee MSME, and a goat farm. The visit aimed to conduct a comparative study of livestock production outside Scotland to support his research. Through these visits, he explored three different businesses and entrepreneurial case studies and gained insights into how smallholder farmers and livestock keepers operate in Indonesia.
“I found this experience very interesting because my research in Aberdeen and Scotland focuses on how farmers use their resources and market their products to customers. So I wanted to understand how they do it here,” he explained.
The first destination was Merawang Farm, located at Jl. Suparjo, Dadapan, Sidoluhur, Godean, Sleman, owned by Kukuh Julianto. During the visit, Kukuh explained the different types of chickens raised on the farm, their feed, business processes, and breeding techniques to produce high-quality offspring.
The second destination was Kopi Vulkanik Merapi in Cangkringan, Sleman. Denny Neilment, a barista and certified coffee evaluator, founded this coffee company. Denny shared his journey from becoming a barista to establishing his coffee business. He also introduced the different types of coffee produced, such as Arabica, Robusta, and Cascara, with distinct flavor profiles. Dr. Simon had the opportunity to taste Robusta Lanang and Cascara coffee.
“This is amazing. I had the experience of tasting coffee from a volcanic region that tasted excellent. I also learned about the business processes involved,” Dr. Simon said.
The final destination was Sembada Farm, a goat and sheep farm in Kalasan, Sleman, managed by PT Sembada. The farm specializes in raising the Sapera, Saanen, and Texel goat breeds. In addition to raising livestock, the farm also produces its supplementary feed, including mineral blocks made from grass or cassava leaves grown around the farm.
In addition to visiting MSMEs, Dr. Simon also had the opportunity to see the UGM Science Techno Park (UGM STP) on Thursday, February 6, 2025. UGM STP is a research and innovation-based production hub supporting learning processes in collaboration with industry and government. UGM STP focuses on downstream innovation in various sectors, including health and pharmaceuticals, agro-industry, renewable energy, manufacturing and engineering, information technology, heritage, arts, culture, and sustainable management.
During the visit, Dr. Hargo Utomo, M.B.A., Director of Business Development and Incubation at UGM, provided an overview of the UGM Science Techno Park and its business models. Dr. Hargo also presented some of UGM’s research innovations commercialized through UGM STP, such as NPC STRIP G for early detection of Nasopharyngeal Cancer (NPC) and GeNose C19, a breath-based COVID-19 detection device.
Dr. Simon also had the opportunity to taste some of UGM STP’s locally produced innovations, such as Wedang Uwuh, a traditional Javanese herbal drink made from a blend of spices and second wood, and Ubikies, a gluten-free cookie made from local Indonesian tubers instead of wheat flour. After visiting the UGM STP, he toured a medical device manufacturing facility and a Wolbachia mosquito breeding center to reduce dengue fever. This visit reaffirmed Dr. Simon’s interest in Indonesia’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem.
Report by: Orie Priscylla Mapeda Lumalan dan Shofi Hawa Anjani
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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