Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Ministry of Manpower, through Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah, conveyed that the academic collaboration between Indonesian and Korean universities could expand scientific networks, on Wednesday (20/9/23). The Deputy Minister added that such collaboration holds the potential to enhance education quality, research endeavors, and community service. This includes the bolstering of human resource capacity and advancements in information and communication technology. "I hope that the MOU will be executed with utmost commitment from all parties, paving the way for implementation in the upcoming academic year of 2023," he remarked following the MOU signing ceremony. This event saw 12 universities from LLDIKTI Region III, six from Region X, and four Korean universities in Bekasi, West Java. He highlighted a prevailing issue in Indonesia's workforce development, namely the demand for higher quality employees amid a rise in unemployment. "The mismatch between the number of fresh graduates and available job opportunities is a significant factor," he said. Data from Central Statistics Agency (BPS) from February 2023 revealed that around 12 percent of the unemployed population, roughly 958.800 individuals out of a total of 7,99 million, were graduates or diploma holders. This disparity arises from a lack of alignment between university programs and the demands of the job market. "This situation calls for collaborative efforts, particularly within the education sector, to work in synergy and innovate towards reducing the persistently high unemployment rate," he stated. (ar/inp/pr/nm)