UMKT Hosts BEAT Network Annual Meeting to Advance Regional Bioacoustics Collaboration

umkt.ac.id, Samarinda – Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur (UMKT), in collaboration with EducationUSA, is hosting the Bioacoustics Equipment & Training (BEAT) Annual Meeting: Advancing the Scope and Impact of the Conservation Bioacoustics Network in Indonesia and Malaysia. The event is taking place on 3–4 August 2026 in the Building G Meeting Room.

The meeting brings together partner co-organizers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its primary goals are to strengthen networks among regional bioacoustics researchers, coordinate training under BEAT, establish an organizational structure to support the network, and bolster bioacoustics research and policy-making. Additionally, partner organizations are conducting preparatory meetings for the upcoming Simposium Bioakustik Indonesia–Malaysia (SIMBA) in 2027.

Rahmatullah Ayu Hasmiati, Director of the Office of Cooperation and International Affairs, highlighted the meeting as a vital step toward expanding sustainable international collaboration.

"This annual meeting is essential to build stronger and more sustainable collaboration among stakeholders," stated Rahmatullah Ayu. "We hope the network built through BEAT will flourish—not merely for training, but as a platform to foster research, capacity building, and meaningful contributions to wildlife conservation in Indonesia and Malaysia."

Wendy Erb, Extension Associate at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell University, explained that the BEAT Program has trained two cohorts of bioacoustics experts from Indonesia and Malaysia since 2022. In its third year, BEAT is focusing on empowering regional alumni to take on active leadership roles.

"Since 2022, BEAT has trained two cohorts of bioacoustics experts from Indonesia and Malaysia," Wendy explained. "In Year Three, we aim to empower our regional alumni as co-organizers, instructors, and mentors to foster more sustainable and accessible training programs in the future."

By hosting the 2026 BEAT Annual Meeting, UMKT reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation in education, conservation, and research. The active participation of global scholars, experts, and partners is essential to advancing bioacoustics in the region and driving innovation to protect biodiversity through scientific research.

Also read in KapanLagi.

Author: Raisha Azzahro

Translator: M. Rafly Raihandy

Photos: Fajar Aditya Pratama