In spring 2018, two AGKN members—the Institute of Maritime Logistics at TU Hamburg (Germany) and the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) (Indonesia)—launched a six-month research stay for German PhD candidate Mr. Tobias Domnik in Yogyakarta, located on the island of Central Java, Indonesia. Mr. Domnik conducted research for his dissertation on global biomass supply paths, under the supervision of Dr. Noor Mahmudah, a lecturer at UMY and an expert in palm oil production and transportation. During his stay, a case study on the Indonesian palm oil supply chain, based on secondary data and expert estimates, was successfully completed.
As a guest researcher at UMY, Mr. Domnik was introduced to a number of fellow scholars working in related fields. He also participated in the National Transportation Forum held in Pontianak, on Borneo Island. The on-site experience allowed him to better understand the complexities of the Indonesian palm oil industry, including the tension between economic dependence and environmental sustainability, the sector’s significance for infrastructure development, and its role in employment generation. Moreover, the stay deepened his appreciation of the differing perspectives between the European Union and Southeast Asian countries on these critical issues. Another outcome of the stay is the joint publication to address some of these issues.
Mr. Domnik described Muhammadiyah University and its faculty as liberal, open-minded, and exceptionally welcoming. In addition to expressing his gratitude to Dr. Noor Mahmudah, he extends sincere thanks to the professors and lecturers from the Teknik Sipil department at UMY, and especially to Bayu, for their outstanding academic, organizational, and personal support throughout his stay in Indonesia. One of the cultural highlights of the stay was the joint Fast-Breaking meals around UMY area during the month of Ramadan.
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