Bogor, September 9, 2026 — The Department of Resource and Environmental Economics (ESL), Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM), IPB University, continues to strengthen its international academic network through a discussion with Prof. Justyna Franc-Dąbrowska and Prof. Magdalena Daria Veverkova from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW/WULS), Poland, and Dr. Meti Ekayani from IPB University. The meeting served as a platform to explore opportunities for collaboration in education, research, and academic mobility.

The discussion provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange on a range of environmental and economic issues of growing global importance. Topics included waste management, food waste, composting, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) utilization, circular economy, willingness to pay, Payment for Environmental Services (PES), and green finance.

A key focus of the discussion was the importance of integrating technical approaches to waste management with social and economic perspectives. Such an integrated approach is essential for developing waste management systems that are not only technically effective, but also economically valuable, socially relevant, and environmentally sustainable.

The collaboration between IPB University and SGGW/WULS has also been strengthened through the academic activities of Yentriani Rumeta Lumbantobing, a PhD student at SGGW/WULS under the supervision of Prof. Magdalena Daria Veverkova. Yentriani previously completed a three-month internship at IPB University, with Dr. Meti Ekayani serving as her academic supervisor during her activities and research in Indonesia.

Looking ahead, the two institutions are exploring opportunities to expand their partnership through joint research, joint publications, joint supervision, internships, student and staff mobility, and international field studies. Potential collaborative funding opportunities through NAWA Poland are also being explored.

Through this collaboration, the Department of ESL FEM IPB University and SGGW/WULS Poland are expected to further expand their international academic networks while promoting research that responds to global environmental challenges. This cross-border partnership is expected to generate knowledge and innovations that contribute to the advancement of the circular economy and sustainable resource and environmental management.