Once more, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) dispatched 4580 students to participate in the Community Empowerment Program Field Practice (KKN PPM) in some parts of Indonesia. They are the students who come from various disciplines at UGM. It seems special that this time KKN PPM will be also followed by 35 students and seven professors from foreign universities. They consisted of 13 students and three professors from Vienna University, Austria, 13 students and two professors from Hanseo University, Korea, and nine students and two professors from Ehime University, Japan.
Further Danang said that before working among the society, the ones proposing the theme have been collecting data and drafting a proposal. Next, they will discuss it with the students, involving partners. "With this kind of effort, they can be expected to cooperate with each other and the KKN PPM program will run well," he said. In every KKN PPM UGM activity, he said, students from different
backgrounds have been a mentor to these groups throughout the
countryside. In the year 2009, KKN UGM students conducted a test by
dispatching 88 students to Bantul regency to assist 154 groups in Sanden
and Kota Gede districts. This activity continued in 2010 when the KKN’s
first generation fielded 56 students who have succeeded in training 113
family welfare groups in the province. "This time, approximately 350
KKN students will once more conduct similar activities in the province. I
hope with this KKN, students can encourage and nurture community and
family participation," he said.
As many as 4580 students will join this service, accompanied by 182
field supervisors with 10 coordinators from various UGM faculties. They
will serve from July 2, 2010 and will finish on August 31, 2010. They
are assigned in 15 provinces, 35 regencies and 110 sub-districts in Java
and outside Java. Outside the Java island, KKN students will do service
in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, West Sumatera, Bangka Belitung, Lampung,
Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku, West
Kalimantan and Gorontalo.
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Similar statement is also delivered by the Senior Vice Rector for Academic, Research and Community Service of UGM, Prof. Dr. Retno Sunarminingsih, M.Sc., Apt., during the dispatching ceremony. She said that the KKN PPM main goal is to edify the hearts. Through empathy, the students participating in the KKN is expected to increase their awareness of the marginalized society. "By increasing the capacity, the student is expected to perform community empowerment in accordance with their respective themes. I hope that students can respect each other’s discipline so that they are able to cooperate in a team work," she expressed her hope.
In front of Field Supervisor Lecturers, she instructed the KKN students that before departing and carrying out these tasks, the students must always hold on to the paradigm and principles of KKN PPM program. By understanding this paradigm, the students certainly will not lose the meaning of the true KKN programs. "Therefore, take advantage of the time to edify the heart. If this is successful, it will complement the intelligence and science that have been gained in college. That is the goal, in addition to brain enlightenment, it will also be able to improve the intelligence of the heart through the empowerment so that the KKN participants could actually become agents of change in society," she said.
Dr. Sugiri Syarief, M.P.A, Head of BKKBN, who was also present in the event, felt grateful for this program. According to Sugiri, the KKN program has provided benefits to the society, especially in rural areas. "The UGM cooperation with BKKBN has indeed going on long enough. Related to the implementation of KKN activities, the BKKBN has been working closely with UGM since year 2009 in mentoring family welfare groups, which is under BKKBN supervision," he explained.