One hundred seventy UGM Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) students arrived in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The students from various faculties were welcomed by the UGM Alumni Family in NTB (Kagama NTB) and the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA) at the BRIDA Building on Jalan Raya Zamiya, Banyumulek, West Lombok, Monday (Jul. 1).
The 170 KKN-PPM students, divided into six units, will serve in Sambelia Unit, Bayan Unit, Keruak Unit, Lembar Unit, Sembalun Unit, and Sikur Unit.
Dwi Umi Siswanti will accompany KKN students in the Sambelia Unit as the field supervisor (DPL), the Bayan Unit by Lukman Awaludin, the Keruak Unit by Dr. Yogi Sidik Prasojo, the Lembar Unit by Dr. Muhamad, the Sembalun Unit by Dr. Atrida Hadianti, and the Sikur Unit by Dr. Abdur Rofi.
The Head of BRIDA, Lalu Suryadi, and the Chair of Kagama NTB, Nurhandiri Ika Dewi, MD, were present to welcome the KKN-PPM group. During the welcoming ceremony, the students were introduced to and presented with ecotourism projects, solar dryers, and plastic shredding machines. They were also taken on a tour to observe the processing of plastic pellets into plastic bricks.
“I hope KKN-PPM can synergize with BRIDA to develop ecotourism in NTB while jointly improving the welfare of the NTB community,” said Suryadi in his speech.
After that, the students were also taken on a tour to see several innovations, such as the plastic brick-making machine produced by BRIDA. In a different place, the field supervisors met with representatives from several Community Service Institutions (LPM) from various universities in NTB.
This meeting between the DPL and several LPMs from universities in NTB was facilitated by Kagama and used to finalize the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that had been prepared some time ago online.
The Provincial Government of NTB, UGM, Mataram University (UNRAM), Mandalika University of Education (UNDIKMA), Nahdlatul Ulama University, and STIE AMM Mataram participated in this activity.
Lukman Awaludin, representing the DPL team and the UGM Directorate of Student Affairs, warmly welcomed BRIDA’s invitation to collaborate with several universities in NTB. He stated that UGM is always ready to contribute and collaborate to build the nation together as outlined and mandated by UGM.
“The purpose of the collaboration outlined in the MoU between UGM, the NTB Provincial Government, and four universities in NTB includes managing all aspects of human resource utilization, facilities, and infrastructure, as well as enhancing students’ knowledge and skills through KKN activities with various benefits obtained,” he said.
Awaludin added that the UGM collaboration with KKN teams from universities in NTB had been carried out long before the MoU was initiated. For example, in 2019–2020, Dwi Umi Siswanti, then DPL, invited 30 students to conduct KKN-PPM in the Tanjung Unit, North Lombok.
“At that time, Dwi Umi Siswanti collaborated with KKN students from UNRAM led by Sumarian, who is also a member of Kagama NTB,” he explained.
Author: Kagama NTB
Editor: Triya Andriyani