Dr. Fauzan Adziman, the Director-General of Research and Development at the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, stated that Indonesia faces five strategic challenges.
These include the limited time of demographic bonus, the impact of climate change, the global economic slowdown, the threat of new pandemics, and disruptions caused by artificial intelligence.
In response to these challenges, the director-general urged universities to collaborate with industries and communities to support the government’s programs in ensuring the success of national development.
“Our goal is to create an ecosystem that allows the community to experience the results of research and innovation from universities,” he said at the national workshop and sharing session titled “Synergy of Law Faculties: The Role of Sustainable Community Service” held at the UGM Faculty of Law (FH UGM), Thursday (Feb. 6).
Dr. Adziman then explained the priority programs and plans that the president and vice president are currently developing through Asta Cita.
He emphasized that government programs and innovations developed by universities should reach and benefit the public.
He explained that the ministry no longer focuses on product-based research but has shifted toward challenge-based research, encouraging multidisciplinary interactions to solve societal problems.
Research topics include artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, food and health technologies, transportation and infrastructure, advanced materials, and nanotechnology. He highlighted that current contributions are focused on solving social and socio-economic problems.
“We can contribute, and the community can express what is needed,” Dr. Adziman hoped.
The Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni of UGM, Dr. Arie Sujito, said universities have an obligation to engage in community service in addition to providing education and conducting research.
This is reinforced by Law No. 20 of 2003 on the National Education System, which mandates implementing and realizing the tri-dharma for universities.
“I hope education’s mission is to enlighten the nation; therefore, ideally, the research results we have and the teaching supported by practical activities based on experience should inspire and provide benefits,” he stated.
He further explained that downstream is not only focused on industries but also on skills and knowledge gained to address issues in society.
As a result, the social sciences and humanities, particularly law, can ensure that education, teaching, practice, and research can benefit society as a shared responsibility.
Furthermore, Dr. Sujito emphasized that universities can never be neutral because they are always grounded in human values, justice, and welfare.
This is where law plays its role as a tool to translate the vision of community service to address societal issues.
“Law should not make people fearful but rather bring them closer,” he concluded.
The Secretary of the UGM Directorate of Community Service, Dr. Djarot Heru Santosa, presented the achievements of UGM’s community service activities conducted through DPKM. One form of this service is carried out through the Community Service Program (KKN).
“Primarily, it is the implementation of KKN, community service at Universitas Gadjah Mada, which has been initiated since 1971 and, to this day, remains a compulsory course at the university,” he explained.
Dr. Santosa added that every year, UGM sends an average of around 8,900 students across Indonesia, with the distribution covering 35 provinces, over 100 regencies, and more than 500 villages nationwide.
“We also focus on border areas,” he said.
In implementing work programs, Dr. Santosa mentioned that KKN activities are directed to use research methods, even if simple.
He also explained that the directorate publishes a community service journal four times yearly.
“Community service activities can be turned into research,” Dr. Santosa added.
As a form of service, KKN aims to benefit communities so that the region or community becomes more independent.
Dr. Santosa explained that to achieve this, the directorate employs strategies to improve community quality, which include interdisciplinarity, broad impact, program downstream, partnership models, thoroughness and sustainability, research-based approaches, and outcome-based approaches.
“Coordination, collaboration, and publication are key,” he concluded.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photographer: Donnie