Banda Aceh, October 10, 2023 – In a remarkable educational endeavor, students from Bina Bangsa Getsempena University (UBBG) embarked on a visit to the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) at the University of Syiah Kuala (USK). This visit was part of the prestigious Nusantara Module Program and hosted 21 exchange students representing various regions across Indonesia.
The UBBG students received a warm reception at TDMRC from none other than its Director, Prof. Syamsidik, and the dedicated TDMRC staff. During the engaging session, Prof. Syamsidik unveiled the profound work carried out by TDMRC and elucidated its overarching vision and mission. The UBBG students were visibly captivated by the director’s insights into disaster mitigation and response strategies. 
Within the landscape of higher education in Indonesia, TDMRC holds a pivotal role as one of the five designated PUI-PTs (Institutes for Research and Community Service) in the country. USK is home to two such institutions, including the Atsiri Research Center (ARC), which specializes in patchouli oil, and TDMRC, with its unswerving focus on tsunami disaster research. Moreover, Prof. Syamsidik shed light on TDMRC’s organizational structure and shared plans for the upcoming AIWEST-DR activities scheduled for Aceh’s 20th tsunami anniversary commemoration.
Highlighting TDMRC’s commitment to academic excellence, Prof. Syamsidik unveiled the Institute’s disaster-focused journal, aptly named IJDM (International Journal of Disaster Mitigation). He encouraged scholars and researchers to contribute to IJDM, emphasizing its impressive SINTA 2 accreditation.
The visit also encompassed an evocative narrative of the devastating 2004 tsunami, underscoring the plight of Aceh’s residents who were tragically unaware of the impending disaster. In the face of a catastrophic earthquake, their lack of knowledge about tsunamis left them defenseless. Prof. Syamsidik shared the unsettling fact that Aceh has experienced 11 tsunamis over the past 7500 years, further underscoring the critical importance of disaster preparedness.
After this insightful session, UBBG students were cordially invited to explore TDMRC’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Earthquake Observation Laboratory, Shaking Table Laboratory, and Tsunami Flume Laboratory, rounding off a highly informative and eye-opening visit.
