A total of 431 Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) students have been deployed to undertake the second-period Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) of 2025 in Klaten Regency, Central Java. The students will serve for 50 days, from Jun. 20 to Aug. 8. The student arrival was marked by an Orientation and Welcome Ceremony held on Tuesday, Jun. 24, 2025, at the Klaten Regency Government Pavilion.
Professor Suratman, the Supervisor for the UGM KKN teams in Klaten, stated that the 431 students are divided into 16 teams, each implementing community empowerment programs tailored to the potential and needs of their assigned villages.
“There are 431 UGM KKN students divided into 16 teams. They will be assigned across 36 villages in 11 sub-districts in Klaten, starting from Jun. 20 to Aug. 8,” he said.
Klaten Regent Hamenang Wajar Ismoyo warmly welcomed the UGM KKN-PPM teams and expressed his appreciation for UGM’s consistent contribution in sending students to serve in Klaten’s villages.
He hopes that the students’ presence will not only act as a catalyst for development but also promote active collaboration between the academic community and local residents.
“We hope that the KKN-PPM UGM students can help villages identify and develop their potential, as each village surely has its own unique strengths,” said Regent Ismoyo.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of synergy between the students and village governments in strengthening the local economy, including through the Merah Putih Cooperative Program initiated by the central government.
“Klaten is currently working to establish Merah Putih Cooperatives in 401 villages and districts. However, forming the cooperatives alone is not enough; efforts are needed to ensure they function effectively and grow,” he added.
Muhammad Umar Said, Secretary of KAGAMA Klaten, noted that Klaten Regency is one of the areas with the highest number of UGM KKN-PPM students in Indonesia.
“Out of a total of 8,038 UGM KKN students deployed to 35 provinces, 431 have been assigned to Klaten and distributed across various regions,” he revealed.
The KKN-PPM UGM program is part of the university’s commitment to implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, particularly in community service.
Through this program, UGM students are invited to learn alongside local communities, engage directly with social dynamics, and contribute to development grounded in local potential.
Author/Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photograph: Suara Merdeka