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AKARTA: The University of Indonesia (UI) and state-owned oil company PT Pertamina will jointly develop an integrated science and multidisciplinary laboratory located in the science and mathematics department at UI’s campus in Depok, West Java, a university official says.

UI rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri accompanied by Pertamina president director Karen Agustiawan laid the cornerstone for the building on Thursday.

UI spokesperson Vishnu Juwono said the laboratory, one of several integrated facilities built in the science and mathematics department, would benefit the university, which was recently designated “a world class research university”.

“We will develop the laboratory’s buildings in stages,” he said, as quoted by Antara news agency.

The first stage of the building’s development will be carried out between 2010 and 2011. “We will use Pertamina’s corporate social responsibility fund to build the laboratory on 800 square meters,”
he said.

The five story building will include a bio-processing laboratory, a genome research room, a bio-molecular laboratory and a culture collection room. — JP