Yogyakarta, Indonesia — October 21, 2023— The Bachelor of Applied English Batch 2021 of Vocational College UGM is proud to present “X-SMESH (Expo-Small Medium Entrepreneurship): Go Ready for Scaling Up Small Medium Enterprises,” a mid-term project as part of the Creative Idea and Entrepreneurship course. This event showcases the journey and collaborative efforts of students with local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
X-SMESH is an exciting exhibition that brings together academia and local businesses to foster entrepreneurial growth and innovation. The event commenced with a welcoming speech from the course lecturer, Rezki Wulan Ramadhanty, S.E, M.Sc, AWP, and the Head of the Study Program, Ahmad Mu’am, S.S, M.Sc, expressed the hope that this collaboration would endure and continue to generate intriguing ideas in the future. This vision underscores the long-term impact of initiatives like X-SMESH and their potential to drive positive change in the entrepreneurial landscape.
The highlights of the event were the launch of an E-book and meaningful journey of students working in tandem with selected SMEs. This E-book not only showcases the dedication and hard work of students but also highlights the potential of local enterprises and the role students can play in their development.
The event also featured a heartwarming moment as three SMEs partners, House of Distraw, Egg Roll Azzah, and Articent, received merchandise from the study program. The SMEs partners expressed their gratitude for the students’ collaboration and gave heartfelt testimonials on the impact of the project on their businesses. This exemplifies the positive change that can occur when academia and local businesses collaborate.
One such inspiring testimonial came from House of Distraw, whose owner shared the remarkable journey of their business. They also expressed their gratitude for the students’ assistance in understanding their customer landscape and providing valuable insights.
The main agenda of X-SMESH featured dynamic presentations from student groups A and B. These presentations displayed the innovative solutions, strategies, and recommendations offered by the students to address real-world challenges faced by the SMEs partners. The presentations demonstrated not only the academic growth of the students but also their ability to provide practical value to the SMEs partners.
Rezki Wulan Ramadhanty, S.E, M.Sc, AWP, Course Lecturer, said, “X-SMESH stands as both a reflection of the dedication and empathy of the students and a testament to their significant contributions to the growth of local SMEs businesses in their community.”
Ahmad Muam, S.S, M.Sc, as the Head of the Study Program, added, “I hope that this collaboration will endure and continue to generate intriguing ideas in the future.”
The Bachelor of Applied English (D4 Bahasa Inggris) is one of the vocational study programs at Universitas Gadjah Mada, specializing in the field of public relations. By implementing a vocational system, the curriculum offered to students is designed to provide real-world skills, not just theory. In other words, this program incorporates practical elements into most of the courses offered.
Writer: Alya Shalsabillah F.K