Universitas Indonesia (UI) is once again holding the Festival Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat UI 2024 (UI Community Service and Empowerment Festival 2024), an annual event that showcases achievements in community service programs (pengmas) that have been running for the past five years. With the theme “Sosia Saintika: Kelindan Asa dalam Karya Anak Bangsa,” this event will run from October 2-4, 2024, at the UI Library, Depok Campus.
UI Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, drg. Nurtami, Ph.D., Sp.OF(K), emphasized, “Pengmas is an important pillar of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. This service not only provides benefits for those in need, but also strengthens the synergy between the academic world and the community.”
Since 2020, UI has implemented 1,099 pengmas programs in various regions in Indonesia, involving 10,450 students and producing 2,102 innovative outputs that have been felt by 42,386 beneficiaries. These programs are designed to be sustainable, not just “hit and run.” UI also collaborates with various strategic partners to solve various community problems, ranging from health, education, environment, to the economy.
In his remarks, Dr. Rizal Edwin Manansang, Expert Staff of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, highlighted the importance of the role of universities in empowering MSMEs. “Mentoring from lecturers and academics can help MSMEs develop more innovatively and competitively, both in the national and global markets,” he said.
Dr. Edwin conveyed five roles of universities in mentoring MSMEs. First, increasing the capacity and competitiveness of MSMEs. Second, opening access for MSME actors to technology and digitalization. Third, opening access to wider financing. Fourth, improving product quality and standardization. Fifth, expanding collaboration and market networks. Finally, conducting integrated and sustainable mentoring. He believes that appropriate, measurable, and sustainable mentoring from UI can be the key to the success of MSMEs in facing various challenges, both in the local and global markets.
The success of UI community service in assisting MSMEs in various regions is proven by the many MSME products exhibited at the 2024 UI Community Service Festival. More than 50 products were displayed, ranging from processed food products, health products (dental propolis), and various woven fabrics, to goat processing machines which are the results of community service products from 14 Faculties, 2 Schools (SIL and SKSG), and 1 Vocational Program within Universitas Indonesia.
The Chairperson of the UI Community Service and Empowerment Festival 2024, Widhyasmaramurti, S.S., M.A., said that Sosia Saintika is an abbreviation of three scientific fields, namely social-humanities, science-technology, and health. The three scientific fields synergize with each other to create innovations that are useful and have a broad social impact.
In addition to presenting innovative products, the UI Community Service and Empowerment Festival also disseminates the knowledge gained by community service workers from the community service program through 30 talk shows held in parallel for three days. UI presents health services in the form of free general health and dental check-ups on October 3 and 4, 2024, as well as holding dance competitions, coloring competitions, and drawing competitions for children from early childhood to adolescence. In addition, the UI Community Service and Empowerment Festival also presents various puppet shows, and at the peak of the show, a puppet show with puppeteer Ki Cahyo Kuntadi, S.Sn., M.Sn.
