Jayapura. PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) and Cenderawasih University (UNCEN) have formalized a strategic partnership to promote inclusive and sustainable education in Papua through a series of cooperation agreements.

The agreements, comprising a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and a cooperation pact, were signed by UNCEN Rector Oscar Oswald O. Wambrauw and PTFI President Director Tony Wenas.

“This partnership marks an important step in strengthening UNCEN’s strategic collaboration with Freeport Indonesia. It continues a long-standing relationship, including the milestone handover of the UNCEN Science and Partnership Building in December 2025,” Oscar said during the signing ceremony at UNCEN’s Tembagapura Auditorium on March 11, 2026.

He said collaboration between academia and industry is critical to producing a skilled, adaptive workforce capable of meeting future challenges. The partnership, he added, reflects a shared commitment to building Papua’s future through education.

Tony said cooperation between companies and educational institutions is essential to aligning workforce supply with industry demand.

“Freeport requires a highly capable workforce to support mining operations, while UNCEN can prepare graduates in line with industry needs without compromising academic standards or national curricula,” Tony said. He noted that he has visited the UNCEN campus five times.

The two institutions have a long history of collaboration, including research on the New Guinea singing dog in Grasberg, social anthropology studies, research on indigenous Amungme land rights, and teaching partnerships.

“With pride, we are signing this MoU to serve as an umbrella for broader collaboration in education development, research and innovation, human resource capacity building, and other joint programs,” Tony said.

In addition, PTFI, UNCEN, and Arizona State University signed a separate MoU aimed at improving education quality and advancing accreditation standards. Another agreement between PTFI and UNCEN will support a “Practitioner Teaching” program, covering thematic learning, seminars, training, and character education.

Tony also delivered a public lecture that drew strong interest from students across disciplines. The session provided an overview of PTFI’s history and end-to-end mining operations, insights into industry workforce requirements, career opportunities for Papuan talent, and the company’s contributions to regional development through social investment programs.

The lecture also featured an interactive session, allowing students to engage directly with PTFI’s leadership and gain practical insights into the industry.

Currently, 332 UNCEN alumni are employed as professionals at PTFI. A total of 255 students have received scholarships funded by the company, with 51 active recipients, a number expected to grow.

The figures underscore the tangible impact of sustained collaboration between industry and academia in building a long-term, inclusive education ecosystem in Papua.