More than 10,000 new students of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) are participating in the 2025 Gamada Action Plan, which runs until Aug. 15. The program introduces them to the neighborhoods surrounding the campus and encourages direct interaction with local residents.
Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, Dr. Arie Sujito, visited several activities involving students and residents. In Karangjati Village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Province, Dr. Sujito and his team observed interactions between students and children through the “Game Salur Bola” and a health education session for women.
Meanwhile, in Sagan Village, Yogyakarta City, the group witnessed eco-brick workshops and environmental care activities.
Dr. Sujito expressed his delight and pride in the 2025 PIONIR Gadjah Mada program. According to him, the Action Plan serves to familiarize new UGM students with the communities around campus while fostering their social awareness.
He also praised the event for carrying the theme of srawung (community engagement), which builds meaningful interactions between new students and local residents.
“This is part of the PIONIR program. Through the Action Plan, we invite new students to get to know the communities surrounding their place of learning. We believe that a truly meaningful learning environment is not limited to classrooms but extends beyond them,” he said in Sagan on Wednesday (Aug. 13).
He emphasized that such initiatives provide both a concept and direct practice for nurturing stronger bonds between the UGM academic community and local residents. Dr. Sujito expressed confidence that this approach would help students feel more comfortable in their learning environment.
“We hope our students will also learn how to interact with others, acknowledging differences and learning from them. Through the Action Plan, they can develop familiarity and respect for diversity. Students from Sulawesi, Kalimantan, or elsewhere do not need to become Yogyakartans, but they can learn to show mutual respect,” he added.
Shidqi Noor Faadhil, a first-year student of Electrical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM), shared his excitement about the diverse options available in the Action Plan. He noted that students could join residents in educational games and creative activities, emphasizing vision, mission, passion, and collaboration. Together with residents of RW 7 Sagan, Faadhil’s group carried out environmental education followed by eco-brick making.
“Our theme was accelerating the ecosystem of care through action. Here, we educate peers on caring for the environment through hands-on activities such as making eco-bricks,” explained Faadhil, who also served as group leader.
Jumiran, head of RW 7 Sagan, welcomed the students warmly, noting that their presence enriched residents’ knowledge of community care.
“We can only pray for these new UGM students, hoping they will learn well and succeed in their studies,” he said.
He added that Sagan accommodates 50 to 100 students each year, with local families acting as guardians who provide guidance and support.
“From our experience, the students have always been respectful. UGM students and RW 7 residents live in harmony, and we also provide counseling to guide their behavior. Everything has gone well with no problems,” Jumiran remarked.
This year’s Action Plan involves 10,629 new students (Gamada) organized into 755 groups, who engage in various activities with communities surrounding UGM.
In Sleman Regency, the program takes place across three villages, Sinduadi, Caturtunggal, and Condongcatur, covering 23 hamlets. In Yogyakarta City, activities are held in six villages: Terban, Baciro, Klitren, Bumijo, Cokrodiningratan, and Gowongan.
Beyond waste management, healthy living, and nutrition education, as well as stunting prevention campaigns, the students organized activities promoting healthy and cheerful neighborhoods through competitions and children’s programs.
They also shared knowledge on active and productive aging, digital literacy, responsible gadget use, anti-hoax education, and raising confident children without gadgets. Other groups held hydroponic farming demonstrations, anti-bullying campaigns, and creative economy initiatives through community-based projects.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian