UMN Signs an MoU with Musashino University’s EMC Department

(Dok. UMN Marketing Communications)

TANGERANG – Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) collaborates with Musashino University, Japan. The collaboration was officially formalized with an on-site Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing at the UMN campus on September 3rd, 2024.

The MoU signing and collaboration discussion was attended by various UMN and Musashino University Representatives. From UMN are Prof. Dr. Muliawati G. Siswanto, M.Eng.Sc. (Vice Chancellor for Relations and Cooperation); Ir. Andrey Andoko, M.Sc. (Vice Chancellor for General and Financial Affairs); Dr. Friska Natalia, S.Kom., M.T. (Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs); Ika Yanuarti, S.E., M.S.F, CSA (Vice Rector for Student Affairs); Boby Arinto, S.E., M.M. (Global Office Manager); and Yovita Surianto (Business Incubator Manager Skystar Ventures).

From Musashino University: Yoichi Ito (Dean of Entrepreneurship Musashino University) and Tatsuya Tsubuki (Professor of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship at Musashino University).

“We are very happy that you came here, and I hope the cooperation that we are going to build will be long-lasting. Thank you for coming, and please come again next time,” Muliawati said.

Friska then continued by pointing out the similarities between UMN and Musashino University and proposing collaboration ideas, such as student exchanges, mobility programs, lecturer exchanges, international competition collaboration, and more.

In addition, Yovita also added one collaboration proposal where UMN’s Business Incubator, Skystar Ventures, can collaborate with Musashino University.

“We have a short-term program called ‘Skystar Innovation College’ where we invite students from overseas to Skystar Ventures to work on problems and define ideas that they can present to the Indonesian industries. We can also go to, for example, Japan, and UMN students can work with Japanese students and work on a specific problem in the university and to the industry,” Yovita said. She would love to be able to do this collaboration with Musashino University.

(Dok. UMN Marketing Communications)

“We had a great impression of UMN during our last visit at UMN on May 2021. We are very impressed and want to collaborate with you,” Yoichi said, responding to UMN’s presentation and suggestions. 

Yoichi then briefly discussed one of Musashino University’s departments, Entrepreneurship Musashino Campus (EMC). He explained that Japan has been suffering for the last thirty years.

“There has been no growth for over 30 years, can you believe it? No growth. We now have a total of 120 million people, but we are declining. So, in 2065, it can be estimated to go down to 19 million people. It is a terrible situation. In one year, there’s a decrease of 1 million people,” Yoichi said.

In addition to the population decline, Yoichi shared sad statistics about the Japanese market based on the world’s global equity market capitalization ranking. In 1989, 7 out of the top 10 companies were Japanese, and 32 out of the top 50 companies were Japanese.

“Now, in 2023, the top 10, zero. For the top 50, there’s only one brand, Toyota, that is included in the ranking,’ Yoichi shared. He continued sharing other data and information showing how Japan stopped growing compared to other countries. 

Yoichi said that Japan doesn’t have enough entrepreneurship. To fill the gap, Mushisano started the EMC department in 2021. The department defines entrepreneurship as a mindset of stepping out and creating new value based on high aspirations and ethics without fear of failure. This is what Japanese people have to have all over Japan.

(Dok. UMN Marketing Communications)

“To develop entrepreneurship in students, we are challenging a completely new educational style compared to other Japanese universities,” Yoichi explained. Students are encouraged to practice and do business in Japan. Students are supported not only educationally but also financially.

Although the EMC department has yet to produce graduates, students are highly satisfied with the program. Rather than focusing on graduation, EMC wants students to create and run their businesses successfully.

Yoichi then shared Musashino University’s wish to collaborate with ASEAN countries, one of which is Indonesia. He said there are weak and strong points for all the ASEAN countries, and together, they can create a big and great market. Yoichi and his team have traveled across the ASEAN countries to pitch a collaboration.

“Next summer, we wish to have a global boot camp, whether in Indonesia, the Philippines, or elsewhere. We think that the best way to predict the future is to invent it. So, let’s invent the future together and make the world a better place,” Yoichi said, ending his presentation.

EMC Global Competition

In addition to the MoU signing, a student pitch was conducted at UMN for students who joined the EMC Global Competition in Japan or Indonesia. 

EMC Global is a Japan-based platform that supports the creation of global entrepreneurs among students. It is also a curated media outlet with the latest information from Japan and worldwide, which is useful for starting a business internationally.

A team of UMN students consisting of two members, Alvin Yohanes Kristianto (Founder) and Vivian Regina Surya (Co-Founder), joined the EMC Global Competition and won 1st prize. The students got a chance to fly to Japan to realize their business.

(Doc. SensorRice Team)

Vivian and Alvin proposed their business idea, “SensorRice.” The idea involves smart paddy field farming using AIoT. It involves designing an integrated sensor system for real-time monitoring and prediction of pest control, automated irrigation, and early warning of plant diseases.

Rice is a staple food in various Asian countries, including Indonesia and Japan. However, rice farmers face challenges like heat waves, rice stripe viruses, and pest attacks. Heatwaves caused crop failure in Japan and an approximately 10 billion yen loss, while rice stripe viruses and pest attacks caused crop failure and an approximately 15 billion yen loss (MoAFF 2023 report).

To solve this issue, SensorRice will provide:

• Integrated sensor network to monitor the soil and insect activity;
• Real-time data collection and processing and discovering trends and forecast difficulties;
• Implement an AI-controlled irrigation system to maintain ideal water levels using real-time data and weather forecasts;
• Using predictive analysis analytics in pest control management to anticipate and prevent pest outbreaks;
• Providing a mobile app for farmers to offer real-time field condition warnings and insights;
• Plant illness early warning system;
• Recommendations for pest control, irrigation changes, and disease management.

For now, SensorRice targets paddy field owners or rice farmers in Japan (aged 30-67) and Indonesia (aged 27-42) with a moderate to upper-income level. Similar business ideas are already in the market, but SensorRice proves its competitiveness by offering a more complete system and solution than the ones already available.

UMN, a university with a business incubator, encourages and supports students and staff to become technopreneurs. UMN’s collaboration with Entrepreneurship Mushasino Campus (EMC) and the achievements of Vivian and Alvin further prove UMN’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs.

Congratulations to Vivian and Alvin for this incredible achievement with SensorRice!

By Levina Chrestella Theodora

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. www.umn.ac.id