Electrical Engineering Expo at UNU Jogja Showcases Student Innovations, Driving Technology Solutions for SMEs and Industry in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – The Electrical Engineering Study Program of Nahdlatul Ulama University of Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), in collaboration with the Electrical Engineering Student Association, organized the Capstone Project & Electrical Engineering Expo as a platform to disseminate learning outcomes while showcasing a wide range of technological innovations developed by students on Wednesday (July 29).

The expo featured various technology-based products created through course projects and Capstone Projects by second-, fourth-, and sixth-semester students. The exhibition included live demonstrations and product trials. Several innovations have also received support from PT Bank BTPN Syariah for limited-scale production and implementation by its partner small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The event was attended by representatives of PT Bank BTPN Syariah as the industrial partner, its assisted SME partners, members of the university community, and invited guests from senior high schools and vocational schools across the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

The Capstone Project & Electrical Engineering Expo reflects the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) at UNU Jogja's Electrical Engineering Study Program. Through this approach, students are encouraged not only to fulfill academic learning outcomes but also to develop impactful technological innovations that address real community needs and possess strong potential for commercialization and industrial application.

Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology, Dr. M. Syamsiro, explained that project-based learning connects classroom instruction with real-world challenges. One example is the collaboration with SMEs across the Special Region of Yogyakarta, enabling students to identify actual problems before designing appropriate technological solutions.

"Our students are encouraged to directly observe the challenges faced by SMEs. From there, they design technology-based solutions that truly meet the needs of our partners. These projects are not merely academic assignments but solutions to real problems in society," he said.

According to Syamsiro, most of the innovations exhibited are still at the prototype stage and will continue to be refined by future student cohorts. However, several products have already entered the commercialization stage with support from PT Bank BTPN Syariah, making them ready for limited-scale production and implementation by SME partners.

"These products will continue to be improved by future students. We hope the refined innovations can be commercialized and produced on a larger scale. In fact, several products have already been approved for limited production as the initial stage of implementation," he added.

Echoing this, Vini Daru Perdana, Daya Activation & Partnership Head of PT Bank BTPN Syariah, praised the innovations developed by UNU Jogja students. Although each project was completed within a single semester, he noted that the students succeeded in producing technologies capable of addressing the real needs of SMEs.

Vini explained that PT Bank BTPN Syariah collaborates with several universities. However, he believes UNU Jogja stands out because its students develop functional products that are ready for implementation rather than merely producing conceptual designs.

"We collaborate with several universities. At UNU Jogja, even though the development period is only one semester, students have been able to produce tools that can be directly implemented, not just design concepts. While further refinement is still needed, these innovations have tremendous potential for future development," he said.

He added that PT Bank BTPN Syariah is committed to providing sustainable funding to support the continuous improvement of student innovations. The company also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration across study programs at UNU Jogja to develop more comprehensive solutions and implement them among its partner SMEs.

"Currently, we support nine student-developed products. We hope these innovations will not stop as academic assignments but will truly be utilized by SMEs and continue evolving based on real needs in the field," he said.

Student Innovations Ready for Implementation by PT Bank BTPN Syariah's Partner SMEs

Among the innovations already implemented through the support of PT Bank BTPN Syariah are a semi-automatic corn sheller, the E-Spray XH-60 agricultural sprayer for pest and nutrient application, an ESP32-based Smart Incubator for egg hatching, the SEKOCOR agricultural sprayer, an automatic onion chopper powered by a 200-watt AC motor, the Onic Peeler onion peeling machine, a diced carrot cutter, and a palm sugar slicer. These innovations were designed to improve production efficiency, reduce manual labor, and enhance the productivity of SME operators.

Meanwhile, other products remain at the prototype stage and will continue to be refined through cross-cohort learning. This continuous development model enables each innovation to mature further before being commercialized and adopted more broadly by society.

In addition to showcasing innovative products, the expo featured product demonstration sessions, allowing invited guests, industrial partners, and SME representatives to test the technologies firsthand. The interactions are expected to generate valuable feedback to improve product quality while expanding opportunities for commercialization and collaboration with industry.

As a university in Yogyakarta committed to advancing project-based learning and technological innovation, UNU Jogja hopes the Electrical Engineering Expo will continue to serve as a platform for students to strengthen their competencies, foster collaboration with industry and SME partners, and develop technological solutions that create meaningful benefits for society. [Latifah]