Banda Aceh, April 07, 2026 – The Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) held an official audience with the Mayor of Banda Aceh, Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, along with the Banda Aceh City Government officials this afternoon. The meeting marked a strategic step toward strengthening collaboration between academia and local government in disaster management.
The TDMRC USK delegation discussed key strategic initiatives
The TDMRC USK delegation was represented by Prof. Muksin, Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, Dr. Alfi Rahman, and Rizanna Rosemary, Ph.D. Meanwhile, the Banda Aceh City Government delegation included Nurdin, Assistant III and Acting Head of Bappeda; Bahtiar, Assistant I; Putra, Head of BPBD (Aceh Disaster Management Agency); and Fahrul, Head of Isra Division of the Banda Aceh Regional Secretariat.
Mayor of Banda Aceh, Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal
During the meeting, both parties discussed several strategic agendas of TDMRC. The Banda Aceh City Government expressed full support for the upcoming International Training and Workshop under the LMI-SIR Project, scheduled for October. This project aims to bring together experts from diverse fields to enhance understanding of hazards, develop advanced monitoring tools, and bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical implementation. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to empower public authorities and communities to make informed decisions and strengthen resilience in disaster-prone areas.
In addition, TDMRC and the Banda Aceh City Government agreed to collaborate on developing an academic manuscript on disaster education, with Banda Aceh serving as a pilot project. This initiative is expected to strengthen an integrated and sustainable disaster education system at the local level.
The discussion also covered the development of the Doctoral Program in Disaster Science (Doktor Ilmu Kebencanaan – DIB) at Universitas Syiah Kuala. The Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) expressed strong interest in the program and plans to participate as prospective students.
This audience serves as an important milestone in enhancing synergy between TDMRC USK and the Banda Aceh City Government to improve disaster preparedness, capacity, and resilience.
