On Monday, 11th May 2015, Andalas University extended a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Kementerian PPN/Bappenas). The latest MoU - a continuation of a long-standing partnership with the ministry - designates the university as one of 34 higher-learning institutions participating in the performance evaluation of its respective province’s government during a one-year period of 2014.

Rector of Andalas University, Prof Dr Werry Darta Taifur SE, MA, was among 34 university presidents putting pen to paper to sign their renewed support for the initiative in a ceremony taking place at the ministry’s office in Jakarta. Prof Taifur was accompanied by Prof Dr Syafruddin Karimi from West Sumatra’s Regional Government Performance Evaluation Team (Tim EKPD) and Ms Kuartini Deti Putri, SE, MA, a representative from the province’s Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda).

During the event, Prof Taifur expressed his hope that Andalas University will continue to be able to contribute to improving the bureaucracy, accountability as well as the policies of the West Sumatran regional government. As a special responsibility bestowed upon the university through successive MoUs going back several years, Prof Taifur further underlined that it is also his institution’s mission to enhance its own capabilities in regards to this function. As such, he added, Andalas University seeks to better assist the central government in tackling the nation’s challenges as well as in accelerating regional development in West Sumatra.

Additionally, Andalas University has also committed to a partnership in multiple other fields with the Ministry of National Development Planning. In February 2015, the state-owned university along with 10 other leading universities renewed their cooperation with the ministry in the domains of education, research and regional development evaluation.