Postgraduate Student Mobility Program (4th FOSMOB, 2018)

October 29, 2018, Bogor, Indonesia - Laboratory of Food Safety and Food Integrity (FOSFI), Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security (ITAFoS) in collaboration with the Food Safety and Quality Research Program, Faculty of Food Science and Technology (FSTM) has organized postgraduate mobility programs to the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia from 29^th October to 2^nd November 2018. This is the 4^th mobility program. 1^st FOSMOB 2015 took place at Gadja Mada University, Indonesia; 2^nd FOSMOB 2016 at Kasetsart University, Thailand; and 3^rd FOSMOB 2017 at the National University of Singapore, Singapore. 4^th FOSMOB 2018 was accompanied by three senior lecturers (Dr. Noor Azira Abdul Mutalib, Dr. Nik Iskandar Putra Samsudin, Dr. Maimunah Sanny), a researcher (Dr. Noordiana Nordin), and 16 post-graduate food safety students from ITAFoS and FSTM. Five postgraduate students from the group also undergo student attachment at the food safety laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, IPB from 5 to 9 November 2018.

Among the programs were the Post-Graduate Symposium where UPM and IPB students presented their research results in oral and poster presentations. The program aims to sharpen communication skills among students in presenting their research findings as well as training them in international interaction and organizational skills.

For lecturers and researchers, a networking session was held to open up future international collaboration opportunities. Among the proposed collaboration are joint-supervision, joint-publication, post-graduate sandwich program and joint-application for Southeast Asian / international grants. In addition to visiting research facilities at the Department of Food Science and Technology, the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, participants were also taken to visit the Southeast Asian Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Center (SEAFAST CENTER) which is one of the centers of excellence of food and agriculture in Southeast Asia region based on IPB. The SEAFAST CENTER also welcomes UPM students who want to conduct research attachment at IPB while undergoing studies at UPM and also offer job opportunities after graduation if the applicant's research field is in line with an active research project at the SEAFAST CENTER.

The host university has also organized visits to several food industries around Indonesia such as (i) PT Amerta Indah Otsuka, Sukabumi; and (ii) Cimory Dairy Processing Center, Bogor. PT Amerta Indah Otsuka is an isotonic beverage manufacturer from Japan. Participants of the program were brought in closer checks around the factory's production line. Cisarua Mountain Dairy (Cimory), founded in 2006, is a producer of high quality dairy products based in Indonesia such as yoghurt and milk. Students are able to see more clearly the technology of manufacturing and producing dairy products and associating them with food safety aspects in Cimory.

4^th FOSMOB 2018 is seen to have achieved its objective of: (a) establishing ground for international networks, (b) exploring international research facilities, (c) exchanging ideas with international researchers, (d) enhancing research ability and skills, (e) collaborations, and (f) expanding outlook towards the outside world. It is hoped that such programs will continue in the future in the production of postgraduate graduates in the field of competitive food safety, thus further promoting UPM's name in the industry, academic and research industries both internationally and abroad.