Yogyakarta, July 14, 2025 — Students from Sekolah Vokasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (SV UGM) have officially launched SWARA (Smart Wukirsari Agrofarming), a strategic initiative to promote community-based food security through an adaptive and applicable integrated technology approach.

This program is part of the Program Penguatan Kapasitas Organisasi Kemahasiswaan (Student Organization Capacity Strengthening Program, or PPK Ormawa), funded by the Directorate of Learning and Student Affairs under the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, Republic of Indonesia (KEMDIKTISAINTEK). Through SWARA, SV UGM students implement a modern integrated farming model based on aquaponics, combining fish farming and crop cultivation in a single, sustainable ecosystem.

The key innovations in this program include the application of sensor technology for automatic water quality monitoring, technical training in aquaponics farming and post-harvest processing, and community mentoring to develop economically viable agricultural enterprises. The program focuses on empowering women from the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) group in Wukirsari Village, Imogiri Subdistrict, Bantul Regency who play a central role in household food security and serve as agents of social transformation at the village level.

Running from July to November 2025, the program integrates not only food production but also education, environmental sustainability, and local economic empowerment. The aquaponics learning center established during the program serves as an open community hub. In parallel, hands-on training in harvesting, post-harvest processing, and organic waste composting encourages the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

In addition, the student team initiated the development of an aquaponics starter pack, produced and marketed by local residents. This innovation aims to create new entrepreneurship opportunities based on modern agriculture and foster an entrepreneurial spirit within the village community. The establishment of this community-based agribusiness marks the first step toward building an independent and sustainable agricultural value chain.

SWARA is implemented by a team of 15 students from various majors at SV UGM, all of whom were selected through a competitive process from university to national level. With strong support from faculty advisors and student organizations, the team successfully secured official funding from the Ministry, in recognition of the relevance and impact of their innovative proposal.

By combining appropriate technology with active community participation, SWARA is expected to become a real-life model of how collaboration between students and local residents can bring about sustainable positive change. This program is not merely a short-term initiative but serves as a prototype for a replicable village innovation model that can be applied in other regions with similar potential.

“We believe that change begins with small steps, taken with sincerity by people who care. From the village we move, with the community we grow, and for Indonesia we take our stride,” said a representative from the SWARA SV UGM team.

Writer: Febriana Trisnawati

Yogyakarta, July 9, 2025 – Sekolah Vokasi Universitas Gadjah Mada hosted the official opening ceremony of the World Friends Korea PAS Youth Volunteer 2025 program at the Ballroom of the Teaching Industry Learning Center (TILC), SV UGM. This program reflects a continued commitment to strengthening cultural ties between Indonesia and South Korea through the exchange of knowledge, language, and the arts.

The opening ceremony began with a performance of the Bajidor Kahot dance by SV UGM students. More than just entertainment, the traditional dance served as a warm welcome to the Korean volunteers from the “Satu Hati” Team of the Pacific Asia Society (PAS).

In his remarks, the Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, Arts, and Culture Management (DBSMB) at SV UGM, Dr. Nuryuda Irdana, S.P., M.M., H.T.S., C.H.E., emphasized that the program is not merely a student exchange initiative, but a meaningful effort to build a deeper bridge of intercultural understanding between the two countries. “This year, we continue the program as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting cross-cultural learning and strengthening relations between Indonesia and Korea. This is not just a student exchange, it is a way to build deeper understanding of each other’s cultures,” he stated.

Dr. Endang Soelistiyowati, M.Pd., Vice Dean for Cooperation and Alumni at SV UGM, also shared a similar message. She expressed her happiness that the program could take place again after the pandemic. “We’re very glad this program is back after the pandemic. Through this collaboration, we hope students from Indonesia and Korea can learn together and understand each other better. This program reminds us that differences are normal and they can even become a strength to help us build a better world,” she said.

Park Jinho, the supervisor from PAS, also emphasized that this program has become an important foundation for building strong and meaningful cooperation between the people of Indonesia and South Korea through cultural exchange. “This program has a solid foundation for long-term collaboration between Indonesia and Korea. Through cultural exchange and direct interaction, we believe that young people from both countries can develop mutual understanding and form closer relationships. Not just as program participants, but as friends across nations,” he stated.

Throughout the program, Korean volunteers will share knowledge about the Korean language and culture with UGM students through interactive and engaging methods. The learning activities will begin with basic materials, such as self-introduction, common greetings, and everyday Korean conversations. At the intermediate level, participants will explore Korean culture more deeply through various activities, including traditional games, tasting Korean cuisine, and learning about popular culture such as K-pop. In the advanced stage, participants will design a cultural journey map project as a way to apply the knowledge they have gained. In addition, there will be art and sports classes to enrich participants’ experience, including traditional fan-making, Korean games, and basic taekwondo practice.

As a form of two-way exchange, the program also includes sessions on Indonesian culture for the Korean participants. They will be introduced to basic Indonesian languages, including greetings and polite expressions such as “tolong,” “maaf,” and “terima kasih,” as well as an introduction to Javanese language in both ngoko (informal) and krama (formal) levels. The participants will also take part in traditional Indonesian arts classes, such as gamelan and angklung, along with hands-on practice sessions designed to help them experience and understand the richness of local culture more deeply.

To conclude the program, all participants will present a cultural performance that reflects their learning outcomes, collaboration, and the cross cultural understanding they have developed together throughout the program.

Through the World Friends Korea PAS Youth Volunteer 2025 program, SV UGM reaffirms its role in expanding international collaboration and strengthening cultural diplomacy. The program is expected to help shape a young generation that is not only academically competent but also culturally sensitive, tolerant, and equipped with a strong global perspective.

Yogyakarta, July 1, 2025 — Sekolah Vokasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (SV UGM) welcomed an academic visit from the Vocational Faculty of Universitas Negeri Malang (FV UM) for a consultation and discussion on developing business units to support income-generating strategies. The meeting took place on July 1, 2025, on the 8th floor of the Center of Excellence (CoE) Teaching Industry Learning Center (TILC) SV UGM. The event was marked by a warm and collaborative atmosphere between two leading vocational education institutions in Indonesia.

The FV UM delegation was led by Dr. Muladi, S.T., M.T., Dean of the Faculty, accompanied by Prof. Apif M. Hajji, M.Sc., Ph.D., Vice Dean for General Administration and Finance, along with several heads of study programs and academic coordinators from FV UM.

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Wiryanta, S.T., M.T., Vice Dean for Research and Community Service at SV UGM, expressed his appreciation for the visit. “We warmly welcome you, and allow me to introduce SV UGM. This college is a miniature of UGM, as we offer study programs that cover both science and technology as well as social sciences and humanities. Currently, SV UGM provides applied bachelor’s degree (Diploma IV) programs, and we are preparing to launch vocational master’s programs. We have already established the Master’s in Occupational Health and Safety since 2024 and, God willing, we are ready to open enrollment for the Master’s Program in Tourism Attraction Development,” said Dr. Wiryanta.

In his remarks, Dr. Muladi stated that the primary purpose of the visit was to maintain academic ties and to learn directly about SV UGM’s strategies for income generation. “At present, we are still highly dependent on student tuition fees as our main source of funding. Therefore, we want to learn how SV UGM manages and develops its business units. Let me also introduce the Vocational Faculty of Universitas Negeri Malang. Established in 2023, our faculty integrates vocational programs from the Faculty of Economics and Business, the Faculty of Letters, and the Faculty of Engineering. We are designed to produce competitive applied bachelor graduates who are ready to enter the workforce,” he explained.

The discussion continued with a detailed presentation on SV UGM’s income-generating practices. Dr. Wiryanta shared that, in general, around 70 to 80 percent of SV UGM’s funding still comes from student tuition fees. However, several efforts have been made to develop alternative sources of income, particularly through grants and partnerships. “We fully welcome grant opportunities. In addition to supporting operations, grants also enhance the image of the successful products we produce. We also utilize our laboratories as testing sites and production centers that can be monetized through various activities,” he explained.

Adding to this, Dr. Faiz Zamzami, S.E., M.Acc., QIA., Manager of the Cooperation, Training, and Career Development Unit, explained that as part of a State University with Legal Entity (PTN-BH), SV UGM has the flexibility to manage its finances independently. Therefore, long-term strategies are needed to create new revenue streams. “Our income-generating activities are based on several pillars, including training programs, contractual services, laboratory services, asset utilization, and profit-sharing-based partnerships,” he stated.

This meeting not only strengthened synergy between vocational institutions but also demonstrated a shared commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SV UGM and FV UM reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in developing adaptive, innovative, and sustainable vocational education models, while also enhancing institutional capacity through productive and financially independent business units.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both institutions expressed hopes for mutual learning, the exchange of best practices, and the establishment of long-term collaboration to advance the quality of vocational education in Indonesia—education that excels academically and sustains itself financially.

Writer: Febriana Trisnawati

Nama Penulis: Febriana Trisnawati

SDGs: 4, 8, dan 17

Yogyakarta, July 1, 2025 — Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Jiangsu University of Technology (JSUT), the Dean of Sekolah Vokasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (SV UGM), Professor Dr. Ing. Ir. Agus Maryono, IPM., ASEAN Eng., along with Dr. Endang Soelistiyowati, M.Pd., Vice Dean for Cooperation and Alumni, welcomed delegations from JSUT at SV UGM Teaching Industry Learning Center. The delegations consisted of the university’s rector, deans, and faculty members.

The visit continued with an academic tour to several departments within SV UGM, including the Department of Foreign Languages, Arts, and Culture Management, the Department of Economics and Business, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Informatics.

During the meeting, both institutions agreed to strengthen their collaboration in vocational education, applied research, and student exchange programs. A key point of agreement was JSUT’s support for the establishment of a Mandarin Language Study Program at SV UGM. To support this initiative, JSUT will send mandarin native speaker lecturers to assist with the teaching process. The two institutions also agreed on a double degree program in the field of Tourism, in which students will study for three years at SV UGM and one year at JSUT, as part of efforts to internationalize vocational education. Furthermore, the collaboration will focus on applied research and student exchange programs in tourism, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and informatics, as well as economics and business.

In addition to the aforementioned areas, both parties expressed interest in exploring future cooperation in renewable energy, particularly in support of Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China’s achievements in renewable energy development offer valuable insights that could contribute to strengthening technological capacity and education in this field in Indonesia. As a follow-up, a virtual meeting has been scheduled for mid-July 2025 to further discuss technical implementation and collaboration mechanisms.

The visit concluded with a lunch at Padang Sederhana Restaurant, attended by the JSUT delegation, UGM leaders, as well as leaders of SV UGM. The Chinese guests expressed their appreciation and satisfaction for the warm hospitality and the strong commitment shown by SV UGM in building concrete, inclusive, and sustainable international partnerships.

Writer: Humas SV UGM

International Symposium on Technology for Sustainability (ISTS) is an International Sympsoium for College and University Students which firstly organized by National Institute of Technology (NIT) Japan. Each year, since 2010, ISTS has been being held by Asia-Pacific Countries in turn. In 2016, the 6^th ISTS is going to be held in Indonesia by appointing Vocational School UGM as the distinguished host.

Despite of the symposium agenda, ISTS 2016 which takes 8 days (4 – 12 October 2016) in Yogyakarta also invites the participants to get involved in both indoor and outdoor activities. They are The 2^nd  International Students Seminar on Leadership and Networking (ISSLN), company visit, study case in Poncosari Village, leadership experience and games in Borobudur Temple, and many others.

Victorio Fikgi Amartha (Viktor), a student of Vocational College UGM appointed as the chairperson of Student Committee of ISTS 2016, said that this event is promoted for college and university students not only limited to Indonesian students but also for international students from overseas, especially Asia Pacific region.

“Not only students from Vocational College UGM, but all students from Indonesia and from overseas are encouraged to take part in ISTS 2016,” Viktor explains.

Furthermore, Viktor added that there would be partial scholarships granted to 50 early bird participants applying before April 30^th, 2016.

For more detailed information, applicants shall contact Office of International Affairs (OIA) Vocational College UGM by (+62 274) 541020 or Student Committee (+6287712354265).