SDG 1 In Number
Number of student
27,537
Number of low income students receiving financial aid
20,870
1.4.4 Policy Addressing Poverty
Universitas Sebelas Maret’s Contribution to Poverty Reduction Policy and Programs
Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) contributes to poverty reduction by collaborating with government institutions, conducting evidence-based research, and implementing community empowerment programs. These efforts connect academic expertise and community service with development needs at the local, regional, and national levels. Through cross-sector partnerships, UNS supports the development of poverty reduction policies and programs, including regional poverty reduction planning, efforts to improve access to education, strengthening community economic capacity, and rural development. These contributions support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty by addressing poverty through policy development, education, and community empowerment.
A. Regional Level
1. Local Government Policy Development: Poverty Reduction Planning in Blora Regency
UNS, through its Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), has also contributed directly to local government policy development through its collaboration with the Regional Development Planning, Research, and Innovation Agency (BAPPERIDA) of Blora Regency, Central Java. The partnership focused on reviewing the 2022–2026 Regional Poverty Reduction Plan (RPKD) and developing it into the 2025–2029 Regional Poverty Reduction Plan.
Under the cooperation agreement signed on April 25, 2025, UNS and BAPPERIDA agreed to work together on data provision, analysis, and interpretation; preparing the revised regional poverty reduction plan; and discussing and disseminating the resulting document. The collaboration positioned UNS as an academic partner in supporting the local government’s poverty reduction planning process through research expertise and evidence-based analysis.
The partnership was further implemented through a self-managed work contract signed on April 28, 2025, between BAPPERIDA Blora and LPPM UNS. This provides evidence of UNS’s formal and operational involvement in reviewing and preparing a regional policy document specifically focused on poverty reduction.
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2. The UNS–Central Java Provincial Government Thematic Community Service Program to Support Poverty Reduction
On March 13, 2025, Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) and the Central Java Provincial Government signed a cooperation agreement to implement the university’s three pillars—education, research, and community service—to support regional development. The agreement provides a formal basis for collaboration between the two parties. Its scope includes community economic empowerment, support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), developing empowered subdistricts, and assisting village-owned enterprises.
One implementation of this cooperation was UNS’s Thematic Community Service Program, which involved 3,800 students and was launched on July 8, 2025. The students were assigned to various regencies and cities. Through this program, the Central Java Provincial Government encouraged students to contribute to regional development priorities, including poverty reduction, updating village-level poverty data, and providing economic assistance based on local potential.
Central Java Deputy Governor Taj Yasin also requested that summaries of the students’ research findings be prepared as input for the provincial government. This request gives UNS an opportunity to contribute academic information and research findings to support regional development planning.
Through formal cooperation and implementation of the Thematic Community Service Program, UNS contributes to regional poverty reduction efforts through government collaboration, support for poverty data collection, economic assistance, and providing research findings to the regional government.
3. Collaboration between Higher Education Institutions and the Provincial Government to Support Regional Development
On July 4, 2025, Central Java Regional Secretary Sumarno called on universities to help address regional development challenges by providing input, ideas, and thematic cooperation. During a forum organized by the Faculty of Engineering at UNS, faculty leaders outlined several planned contributions, including evaluations of adequate housing and the development of programs in the Rawa Pening area.
The forum demonstrated opportunities for collaboration between UNS and the provincial government to support systematic regional development planning. It provides additional evidence of UNS’s regional partnership with the government to address development challenges.
UNS’s commitment to supporting poverty reduction is also reflected in academic research on local government policies and rural development. The study entitled “Alternative of Local Government Legal Policies in Implementing Poverty Reduction” examines the implementation of local government legal policies, implementation barriers, and alternative policies to accelerate poverty reduction in Gunungkidul Regency. Meanwhile, the study entitled “Do Village Funds Promote Rural Development and Alleviate Poverty in Indonesia? Implications for Village Funds Policies” analyzes the effects of village funds on rural development and poverty and provides implications for village fund policies. Both studies demonstrate the relevance of UNS’s academic research to poverty reduction policy challenges, rural development, and the need for approaches that respond to local community conditions.
B. National Level
UNS’s Contribution to the Development of the National Poverty Reduction Program through Sekolah Rakyat
UNS, through its Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), has established a collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemensos RI) to support community empowerment and the development of the Sekolah Rakyat program. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to expand access to education for poor and vulnerable communities and strengthen their independence through education and empowerment.
The collaboration began with a meeting between FKIP UNS and Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono in Jakarta on April 28, 2025. During the meeting, FKIP UNS expressed its commitment to supporting community empowerment through educational outreach, student involvement, and the strengthening of educational capacity. On May 9, 2025, the Deputy Minister of Social Affairs visited FKIP UNS for a follow-up meeting to discuss potential cooperation in education and community empowerment.
As part of its academic contribution to developing a national program, FKIP UNS announced plans to submit faculty research findings mapping regional potential to the Ministry of Social Affairs. UNS also said it is ready to provide recommendations on educational concepts for Sekolah Rakyat so the program can develop educational approaches that respond to community needs. These plans connect UNS’s academic expertise with the development of government programs targeting poor and vulnerable communities.
In addition to conceptual support, FKIP UNS plans to involve students through the Thematic Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata or KKN), provide preparatory training through the Training of Trainers (ToT) program, and strengthen human resource capacity to support community empowerment. This approach integrates education, research, and community service to support national poverty-reduction programs.
The collaboration between UNS and the Ministry of Social Affairs demonstrates the role of higher education institutions as government partners in developing community empowerment programs. Through plans to conduct academic research, offer conceptual recommendations, and support program implementation, UNS helps strengthen poverty-reduction approaches that integrate access to education, capacity building, and community empowerment.
Sources:
- FKIP UNS Ready to Support the Sekolah Rakyat Program through Community Empowerment Collaboration
- Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Visits FKIP UNS to Discuss Follow-Up Cooperation
UNS’s academic contributions to poverty-reduction programs are also relevant to research on education and income inequality. The study entitled “The Long-Run Impact of Educational Expansion on Income Inequality in ASEAN Countries” finds that expanding secondary and higher education reduces income inequality over the long term in the ASEAN countries studied. These findings provide an academic basis for understanding the importance of expanding access to education as part of efforts to reduce inequality and improve socioeconomic opportunities. In the context of UNS’s collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs on Sekolah Rakyat, the relationship between education and inequality provides a relevant academic perspective, without assuming that this research directly informed the program’s design.
Conclusion
Through its partnerships with government institutions, research activities, and community engagement, UNS contributes to poverty reduction at the national and regional levels. Its involvement ranges from supporting education-based community empowerment initiatives to providing academic expertise to review and develop local poverty reduction plans. These efforts demonstrate how universities can support government planning and program development through research, knowledge, and collaboration. By connecting academic work with practical development needs, UNS contributes to the broader efforts to achieve SDG 1: No Poverty.