Rector’s Note May 2021

Dear members of the i3L family,

With the first quarter behind us, I pray that the second quarter of 2021  will be off to a wonderful beginning for all of us here at i3L. Together, we have overcome difficult challenges, and as a result, we created new ways to approach teaching, learning, research, and life in general. As we continue to learn and understand the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on society and individual lifestyles, I encourage all members of the i3L family to continue to adapt to health protocols and the new normal, and also to look beyond these times of uncertainty for a better future. We need to continue to respect our campus’s values of GRIT, INTEGRITY and ROLE MODEL so that we can make 2021 a year of new creation, impact, and value.

We readily anticipate the constantly shifting situations until the end of 2021 and we will need to continuously deal with new adaptive policies and countermeasures that sometimes are difficult to implement. In any case of this, we would like to reiterate that the safety of the i3L community remains the top priority. Our task now is to maintain a safe environment — both on and offline.  

I would like to highlight one example of our commitment for safety. We have recently coordinated with the Higher Education Government Body (LLDIKTI) in enabling all i3L faculty members to receive the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine delivery program will also be implemented for all our staff members in August 2021.  However, bear in mind that the vaccine does not act as a bulletproof vest against the coronavirus. We must continue to implement a strict health protocol by consistently practicing social distancing, wearing masks, and maintaining a good self-sanitizing habit. Although there is no guarantee at this moment that the vaccine is 100% effective, we would feel more confident to implement off-line sessions in the near future if everyone at i3L could get vaccinated first including the students. I encourage all students to also get vaccinated once there is an access for it.  

Despite all the obstacles we have encountered during the pandemic, I would like to congratulate the Food Science Department which has been accredited with grade B.  Just recently the Pharmacy Department has also conducted a surveillance session as part of its accreditation process. We wish our Pharmacy Department the best of outcomes too. To all other departments, please be prepared for our next accreditation process so that we can aim for a higher grade and can lift our institute’s national rank. 

Additionally, our revised curriculums which are based on the Campus Merdeka program have been released and introduced to students who will have considerably more choices or pathways which will accommodate their interests.

We are also excited and inspired by the two on-going student competitions which are coordinated inter-departmentally: Skinnovation and High-Tech on Health. At i3L, we support and appreciate the diversified activities and generate new creations and discoveries together. 

While the launch of online classes in 2020 and early 2021 has been successful, we are also preparing for the future of our off-line classes and lab sessions which are an essential part of the i3L experience. Providing the perfect balance between wellbeing and full academic experiences is the way forward. I encourage our students and faculty members to work together to create a safe and efficient environment for both learning and research.

Finally, I would like to assure that i3L will always embrace any challenge that comes our way. We realize that countless unpredictable hurdles undoubtedly lie ahead, but I am sure with a strong and united community that believes in a better future, i3L will overcome these obstacles and create a new normal that inspires us all.

Warmest Regards,

Iwan Surjawan, Ph.D.
Rector of i3L