Prof. de Vries agrees on cooperation with the Kalimantan Institute of Technology (ITK) in Balikpapan Indonesia

As Indonesia is currently planning to re-locate its capital city to Kalimantan, close to Balikpapan, the collaboration can enable research on how this re-location will affect land tenure, tropical forest and forest rights, indigenous land rights and rights allocated to transmigrants. Being close to the intended new capital and being directly affected by the intention to create a completely new city, ITK is in a key location and position to conduct such research.  During a visit to Indonesia from 16 February till 3 March 2020 Prof. de Vries established the first contacts with the relevant agencies responsible for the planning and execution of the new capital, such as the Ministry of national development planning/ National development planning agency, the Ministry of Agrarian affairs and spatial planning / National Land Agency, the Ministry of public work and housing, and the agencies responsible for regional (provincial) planning. Furthermore, Prof. de Vries signed an MoU with ITK for staff and students exchange and he conducted a guest lecture for ITK staff and students in urban and regional planning.