UNU Jogja, YABN, and AlamTri Launch Beasiswa Talenta Lestari 2026 to Breed Young Sustainability Leaders

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - More than 50 percent of Indonesia's population today consists of the youth. As a massive cohort driving the country's demographic bonus, young people—particularly Generation Z—are the ones most affected by, as well as the ultimate deciders of, the nation's future. Concurrently, global sustainability deadlines are looming closer. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are targeted for completion by 2030, while Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives have grown exponentially into binding international commitments.

This reality demands a swift transition toward environmentally and socially conscious leadership. With global deadlines drawing near, the baton of responsibility for managing these crucial issues will naturally pass to the younger generation. In the coming years, Gen Z will occupy pivotal roles, ranging from industry professionals to policymakers. Their concern for sustainability and ESG issues will dictate the success of global development. Consequently, there will soon be a pressing need for as many educated young people as possible who are capable of spearheading future sustainability programs and addressing various global challenges.

Responding to this challenge, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), the Amanah Bangun Negeri Foundation (YABN), and PT Alamtri Resources Indonesia (AlamTri) officially launched the 2026 Talenta Lestari Scholarship program on July 21, 2026. This scholarship initiative provides full tuition coverage and capacity-building support for 100 young individuals, particularly from Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and underprivileged backgrounds, for a duration of 4 years.

Vice Rector for Cooperation and Creative Funding, Ian Agisti Dewi Rani, explained that the Talenta Lestari Scholarship embodies UNU Jogja's commitment as a future-oriented campus that places great emphasis on sustainability issues.

“UNU Jogja is committed to producing professional graduates who are ready to answer global challenges. Through our Future Studies pillar, the institution's focus is directed toward poverty alleviation, quality education, accelerated industrial innovation, the climate crisis, and sustainable cooperation,” she explained.

She further stated that the Talenta Lestari Scholarship is designed not merely as financial aid, but as an incubator for future sustainable innovators. “One of the main goals is to enable students to accelerate sustainable innovation by incubating their ideas into tangible sustainable projects that yield diverse real-world outcomes,” she added.

Therefore, throughout the 4-year period, the scholarship recipients will be equipped with various skills and competencies through a series of training programs, including English language proficiency, leadership character building, and the development of sustainability initiatives.

“This program blends academic excellence with actual sustainability project outputs that are integrated with the 2026 Government Higher Education Key Performance Indicators (IKU) across the economic, education, health, climate, and industrial innovation pillars,” Ian added.

On a broader scale, the provision of this scholarship also aligns with several SDG achievements, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Amanah Bangun Negeri Foundation (YABN), Zuraida Murdia Hamdie, emphasized that the best investment for the nation's future is building the quality of the younger generation through education that is adaptive to global dynamics and capable of addressing sustainable development challenges.

"Sustainability is not just about tomorrow; it is about how we build resilient systems, leadership, and governance starting today. Through the Talenta Lestari Scholarship in collaboration with UNU Jogja, we are committed to nurturing future leaders of the nation who are not only academically excellent but also possess the empathy and capability to integrate sustainability principles across various sectors. We hope this program opens up equal opportunities for top talents, especially from pesantren circles and underprivileged families, to become architects of inclusive development and solution-providers for various global challenges," Zuraida stated.

Who Can Apply?

High school, vocational school, and Islamic high school (SMA/SMK/MA) graduates across Indonesia who possess strong academic or non-academic achievements and have a foundational interest or portfolio in sustainability aligned with the SDGs can apply for the Talenta Lestari Scholarship after being registered as UNU Jogja students for the Class of 2026.

The scholarship is available for students enrolled in Agribusiness, Food Technology, Accounting, Management, English Education, Elementary School Teacher Education, Informatics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies.

The Talenta Lestari Scholarship offers four admission tracks:

• Sustainable Project Flagship Track: Applicants must attach a portfolio consisting of a descriptive essay, activity documentation, or a short video showcasing a sustainability project or movement they have initiated or participated in.
• Talent Track: Specifically dedicated to prospective students who are socially active in their communities and possess outstanding non-academic talents.
• Special Pesantren Track: Targeted at santri (boarding school students) who obtain an official recommendation from their pesantren leaders.
• Affirmation Track: Dedicated to talented prospective students facing structural or geographical limitations.

The application period is open from July 21 to August 12, 2026. Registration links and detailed information regarding the Talenta Lestari Scholarship can be accessed via:

• Sustainable Project Track: https://admisi.unu-jogja.ac.id/jalur-seleksi-detail/72
• Talent Track: https://admisi.unu-jogja.ac.id/jalur-seleksi-detail/81
• Special Pesantren/Santri Track: https://admisi.unu-jogja.ac.id/jalur-seleksi-detail/79
• Affirmation Track: https://admisi.unu-jogja.ac.id/jalur-seleksi-detail/83

Sustainability Commitments from the Campus

The Talenta Lestari Scholarship program is a concrete manifestation of UNU Jogja's commitment and concern toward sustainability issues. However, this program is neither the first nor the last step taken by UNU Jogja in responding to global challenges amidst environmental crises.

In the realm of research centers, UNU Jogja has developed the Decarbonomics Center, a study center focusing on decarbonization issues. Most recently, the Decarbonomics Center, along with several stakeholders, explored carbon emission reduction efforts within the tourism sector in Yogyakarta.

In the field of research, Food Agricultural Technology lecturer Elok Pawening Maharani, S.T.P., M.Sc., successfully developed eco-friendly food packaging. This packaging was engineered from porous rice starch and cinnamon essential oil.

Elok's research was even presented at an international forum, The 11th International Conference on Composite Materials and Material Engineering 2026 at the Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo, Japan.

From the student body, Electrical Engineering students Hendrik Pradiska and M. Rozan Lathif created "Pilah.in", an innovation featuring an automated smart bin designed to habituate the public to sorting their waste.

Collaboratively, the UNU Jogja team also developed a game titled “Santri: Seeds of Hope,” a digital game introducing the circular economy within the pesantren ecosystem. This interactive game demonstrates how sustainability actions can be implemented in boarding schools, ranging from maintaining environmental cleanliness to participating in the energy transition.

The project, developed by cross-disciplinary students Alifia Zahra, Fauzan Arisanto, Muhammad Dafa, along with faculty members Joko Susilo and Arief Faqihudin, was the sole representative from Indonesia at the international QS ImpACT Skills Challenge 2026 and successfully won the Special Jury Recognition award. [Arif]