On 16 August 2017, BIOTROP and University of Brawijaya (UB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize their partnership in conducting joint research, capacity building and information and staff exchange activities with especial focus on agroforestry.

The MoU was signed by BIOTROP Director Dr Irdika Mansur and UB Rector, Prof Dr Ir Mohammad Bisri, MS., at UB in Malang.

As an initial activity under this MoU, BIOTROP and UB co-implemented the 7th National Conference on Essential Oil held on 9 - 10 October 2017 at Atria Hotel & Conference, Malang, Indonesia. Other partner-institutions for this event were Dewan Atsiri Indonesia (Indonesia Council of Essential Oil), Essential Oil’s Institute of UB, Ministry of Agriculture, Coordinating Ministry of Economy, et al.