Universities are no longer merely institutions that produce top graduates and serve as centers of knowledge. Instead, they are expected to become engines driving economic growth and societal well-being.
Therefore, Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology is promoting the implementation of the Kampus Berdampak (Impactful Campus) program.
“This concept does not replace existing initiatives, but rather adds a sustainability component,” said Professor Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, Special Staff of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, during the Forum of Vice Rectors for Resources of State Universities with Legal Entities (PTN-BH) held on Friday (Jul. 11) at the Royal Ambarrukmo Ballroom, Yogyakarta.
She explained that the Kampus Berdampak program is founded on three main pillars: strengthening excellent human resources, serving as a center for research and strategic policy acceleration, and positioning universities as nodes of economic growth.
Professor Tjahjandarie expressed hope that PTN-BH institutions would be able to define measurable indicators for each of these pillars to ensure the program’s effectiveness. In practice, universities are encouraged to collaborate in fostering inclusivity and sustainability to promote equitable access to education.
“This program cannot be accomplished by the ministry alone, which is why these well-established public universities are expected to support the development of other institutions,” said Professor Tjahjandarie.
She highlighted that public interest in higher education remains concentrated mainly in Java, while other regional universities are still underutilized. On the other hand, universities cannot thrive without the active participation of society, namely, the students themselves.
Unfortunately, mentoring alone is not sufficient. Regional universities face far greater challenges than several already advanced PTN-BH institutions. One significant barrier is funding.
“No matter how well mentoring is conducted, growth still requires substantial investment, which is often difficult to secure. We hope the Kampus Berdampak program can help alleviate some of these constraints,” she added.
The PTN-BH Vice Rector Forum represents a form of inter-university collaboration that must be further strengthened. Differences in vision, mission, and institutional characteristics should no longer lead to unhealthy competition. Today’s era demands increased cooperation and partnerships to advance the education sector and enhance national welfare.
During the meeting, vice rectors from national universities discussed a range of issues, including challenges and developments in resource governance.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Bendina
Photographer: Firsto