UPNVJ Public Relations – Veteran National Development University Jakarta (UPNVJ) and the University of Mataram (Unram) are strengthening their collaboration to develop the potential of local horses from West Nusa Tenggara as a basis for internationally competitive health and wellness tourism products. The collaboration between the UPNVJ Faculty of Health Sciences and the Unram Faculty of Animal Husbandry was marked by the signing of an agreement at the Mataram University Rectorate Building on Tuesday (June 2, 2026). This collaboration aims to connect livestock research, health product innovation, and local community empowerment within a new economic ecosystem. Through this step, local horses from West Nusa Tenggara are positioned not only as cultural icons but also as a source of added value for the health, tourism, and community welfare sectors.
This collaboration is part of the university's efforts to address the need for more strategic development of regional potential. West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is known for its cultural closeness to horses, both in social life, traditions, and community activities. This potential is now being encouraged to further develop through scientific approaches, applied research, and the downstreaming of products with economic benefits.
In this collaboration, the Faculty of Animal Husbandry at Unram will play an upstream role, particularly in developing local horse breeding, improving livestock quality, and strengthening derivative products. Meanwhile, the Faculty of Health Sciences at UPNVJ will work downstream by developing health products based on horse products, including horse meat and milk, to enhance their utility and sales value.
This interdisciplinary synergy is crucial because developing the potential of local horses cannot be approached from a single perspective. The livestock sector is needed to ensure the quality and sustainability of resources, while the health sector plays a role in assessing benefits, safety, and product development opportunities relevant to community and market needs.
The culmination of this collaboration is the development of a wellness tourism concept, or holistic health tourism. Through this concept, tourists not only come to enjoy the natural beauty and cultural richness of West Nusa Tenggara but also to gain health experiences based on local potential. Local horse-derived products are expected to be part of tourism packages, health education programs, and the development of the local creative economy.
The collaboration between UPNVJ and Unram also positions local communities as both the target and the primary actors. This development model is designed so that economic benefits extend beyond the institutional or industrial level, but are directly felt by livestock farmers, local businesses, tourism managers, and communities in NTB.
"We want to ensure that the people of West Nusa Tenggara are not just spectators, but rather the main driving force behind the direct economic impact of this wellness tourism ecosystem," reads a statement from the collaboration.
To strengthen technology and quality standards, this collaboration also opens the door to the involvement of partners from Kazakhstan. The country is known for its long tradition of horse management and the utilization of horse derivatives. The transfer of knowledge and technology from Kazakhstan is expected to accelerate the quality improvement of local horse products in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), making them more competitive in both national and global markets.
With the support of research, innovation, and international networks, the collaboration between UPNVJ and Unram represents a concrete step for higher education institutions in strengthening the downstream flow of knowledge. This collaboration also demonstrates that local potential can be developed into a new economic force when managed through academic, technological, and community empowerment approaches.
For UPNVJ, this collaboration aligns with the university's development direction, which emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and tangible contributions to society. Under the leadership of UPNVJ Rector, Prof. Dr. Anter Venus, MA, Comm., strengthening cross-regional and cross-national partnerships is part of the university's efforts to deliver science-based solutions that directly impact national development.