UNU Jogja Sends 125 Students to 32 Labsos Partners, Promoting Collaboration and Real-World Impact

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) sent 125 sixth-semester students from the 2023 cohort to participate in the 2026/2027 Social Laboratory (Labsos) program on Monday, Sept. 28. The send-off marked the beginning of the students’ field-based learning with 32 partners, or Sohibul Labsos, comprising Nahdlatul Ulama autonomous bodies, government institutions, NGOs, businesses, educational institutions, philanthropic and zakat, infaq, and waqf (ZISWAF) organizations, as well as local, national, and international communities.

Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Research, and Community Engagement, Dr. Suhadi Cholil, said Labsos is one of UNU Jogja’s flagship programs. The program aligns with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology’s Kampus Berdampak (Impactful Campus) policy, which encourages universities to create tangible impacts for communities, industries, and businesses while supporting research and innovation ecosystems for national development.

Higher education institutions are also expected to serve as centers for community solutions, drivers of sustainable social and economic innovation, and mediators of collaboration among stakeholders.

Suhadi explained that UNU Jogja has consistently implemented Labsos for the past six years as an alternative to the conventional Community Service Program (KKN). The program focuses on the goals and tangible impacts that students can contribute to communities.

“The concept of an Impactful Campus is not new to UNU Jogja. The founders of UNU Jogja had envisioned that an NU university should maintain strong connections with the community, jamaah, and jamiyah. Therefore, from the beginning, we did not adopt the KKN model. So when the government introduced this impact-oriented policy, we were already well prepared for the concept,” he said.

He expressed hope that this year’s Labsos program would provide students and field supervisors with opportunities to apply the knowledge they have gained on campus while learning from Labsos partners. According to him, this process can contribute to the academic development of both students and lecturers, as well as to the university’s accreditation.

“I believe this program does not only provide something to our partners. Lecturers and students will also learn from the field. Therefore, its impact will contribute to the accreditation of both the university and its study programs. For lecturers and students, what they encounter in the field can become material for academic publications,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Director of the Directorate of Community Engagement and Labsos at UNU Jogja, Joko Susilo, said this year’s Labsos program adopts developments in the global education ecosystem, including the living labs model. The approach promotes an open innovation ecosystem involving the academic community and multiple stakeholders, with shared ownership of knowledge to create sustainable social impact.

At the same time, UNU Jogja is contributing to global issues, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing them in local contexts (localizing the SDGs). This approach also reflects the university’s mandate as outlined in the UNU Jogja Development Master Plan, which encompasses four mandates: Islamic outreach (dakwah islamiyyah), social engagement, scholarship, and professionalism.

“Through the Labsos program, UNU Jogja seeks to contribute to addressing real problems in society through student-centered and beneficiary-centered learning, participatory action research, co-creation, and direct iteration,” he said.

Before the send-off, students had completed a series of selection and preparation processes, including registration and document screening, psychological tests, a bootcamp, and group placement under the supervision of field supervisors at each partner institution.

Over the next six months, the students will engage directly with various UNU Jogja partners. In the education and Islamic boarding school sector, the Labsos partners include Afkaruna Islamic School, LP Ma’arif PCNU Sleman, MI Blendangan, MI Candran, MI Giriliyo 2, MI Sambeng, MI Sananul Ula, Ponpes Bumi Cendekia/Yayasan Bumi Aswaja, Ponpes Assalafiyah, SD NU Sleman, and SD IT Baik Krapyak.

In the village and tourism village category, students will work with Guwosari Urban Village, Condongcatur Urban Village, Ngangkring Educational Tourism Village, the Natural Art Batik Group in Giripurno Tourism Village, the Doyaku Maggot Group, and UPH Maju Mapag Geotena in Nglanggeran Tourism Village.

The social, religious, and community organizations involved as Labsos partners include Yayasan Warisan Budaya Banda, the Community Development Program Manager Yogyakarta of Yayasan Gajah Nurani Indonesia, NU Care-LazisNU DIY, LazisNU Kota Yogyakarta, LazisNU Sleman, and Yayasan Keadilan dan Perdamaian Indonesia.

Meanwhile, partners from the business and professional sectors include Jamal Farming, PT Banoo Indonesia, PT Navil Natural, the General Manager of Rumah BUMN Gunungkidul, Trilogika Edutama, the Co-founder/CEO of Widya Robotics, and Yayasan Mitra Anak Sejati.

In addition to expanding partnerships across various regions of Indonesia, UNU Jogja is also strengthening its international network through partnerships with PCI Muslimat NU Malaysia and Sekolah Indonesia Kuala Lumpur (SIKL), which operates under the Education and Culture Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Malaysia.*

Reporter : Latifah