Semarang, July 10, 2025 – The Vocational School of Diponegoro University (UNDIP) has officially established a partnership with four prominent hotels in Semarang—Novotel Hotel, Padma Hotel, Tentrem Hotel, and Aruss Hotel—as well as one non-governmental organization (NGO), Dejavato Foundation. The collaboration was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 10, 2025, held at the 4th Floor Meeting Room of the Vocational School of UNDIP.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from each institution, including Dr. Eng. Vita Paramita, S.T., M.M., M.Eng., Vice Dean for Resources of the Vocational School (on behalf of the Dean); Dian Tika Dewi, S.S., Cluster Talent & Culture Manager of Novotel Semarang; Cipto Yuwono Sasmito, Human Resources Manager of Padma Hotel Semarang; Andrea Mutiara Prayita, Training Manager of Tentrem Hotel Semarang; Achmad Sendek Prawinko, General Manager of Aruss Hotel Semarang; and Dr. Ketut Purwantoro, Founder of Dejavato Foundation, along with witnesses from each partner institution.
This initiative marks a strategic collaboration between UNDIP Vocational School and its partners in the hospitality industry—Tentrem Hotel, Padma Hotel, Aruss Hotel, and Novotel Hotel—as well as the Dejavato Foundation. The collaboration was initiated by the Department of Information and Culture, which includes the Applied Foreign Languages Study Program and the Public Relations and Information Study Program. Its main purpose is to strengthen practice-based learning methods at the Vocational School of UNDIP, where 70% of the curriculum focuses on hands-on application, particularly in hospitality, tourism, and the creative industry sectors.
As one of the industry partners, Padma Hotel Semarang welcomed the collaboration enthusiastically. According to them, the involvement of higher education institutions like UNDIP is vital in bridging the gap between industry needs and the readiness of young talents.
“UNDIP is one of the potential sources of talent for this industry. Not only at Padma, but in the hospitality sector in general, the workforce needed comes from diverse backgrounds. Hospitality and tourism are cross-sectoral industries—so long as they have potential, competence, and sufficient internship experience, graduates can answer industry demands,” said Cipto Yuwono Sasmito, Human Resources Manager of Padma Hotel Semarang.
Meanwhile, the university emphasized that this collaboration provides a concrete solution for enhancing students’ practical skills. With the vocational education system focusing on practice, the program is expected to better prepare students for entering the workforce.
“The opportunity for Vocational School students to directly apply the theories they have learned in the real industry setting is invaluable. We hope that students undertaking internships in their final semesters will be much better prepared for the job market,” stated Dr. Eng. Vita Paramita, S.T., M.M., M.Eng., Vice Dean for Resources of the Vocational School of UNDIP.
Through this collaboration, the Vocational School of UNDIP reaffirms its commitment to fostering synergy between vocational education and industry, particularly in the hospitality and tourism sectors.