Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) collaborates with the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia to support the thematic Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) Period II, focusing on strengthening the trade sector and digitizing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in rural areas.
The collaboration was formalized through a signing ceremony between Bambang Wisnu Subroto, representing the Ministry of Trade, and Dr. Rustamadji, Director of Community Service at UGM, on Saturday, May 25, 2025, at the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM) Auditorium.
UGM Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, Dr. Arie Sujito, expressed his appreciation for the shared commitment.
“Through KKN-PPM, we believe students can practically apply their academic knowledge to solve real-world problems in society,” he stated.
Iqbal Shoffan Shofwan, Director General of Domestic Trade at the Ministry of Trade, emphasized the importance for students to understand field dynamics, including the challenges faced by MSMEs.
He explained that many micro-enterprises focus heavily on production while neglecting marketing.
“The Ministry of Trade facilitates this through e-commerce and social commerce platforms, encourages MSME partnerships with supermarkets, and supports KKN-PPM programs, including our Young Public Market Movers initiative composed of university students,” he explained.
Furthermore, students were introduced to key concepts, including onboarding MSMEs onto e-commerce platforms and developing partnerships between small businesses and supermarkets.
Practitioners from Meta, Bukalapak, Redy, and Dompet Dhuafa shared insights on digital marketing strategies and business experiments to broaden market reach.
This approach challenges students not only to introduce technology but also to understand on-the-ground needs and logic.
“Thanks to this session, I had the chance to directly ask how to encourage communities to process their agricultural products before selling them to middlemen,” said Nafisa Ariqoh, the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) student who will undertake KKN-PPM in Magelang, Central Java.
This program represents one of UGM’s concrete efforts to produce graduates who are not only academically competent but also socially aware and capable of driving community transformation.
Equipped with this knowledge, KKN-PPM students are expected to assist MSME players in enhancing competitiveness, promoting product innovation, and expanding market access through both conventional and digital channels.
The collaboration aligns with UGM’s vision as a people-oriented, independent, and sustainable university that continuously encourages its students to bring academic knowledge beyond the classroom to invigorate the people’s economy.
Author: Bolivia Rahmawati
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian