Community Engagement and Participatory Decision-Making at UNS

The Board of Trustees (Majelis Wali Amanat, MWA) at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) is the university’s highest policy-making body, responsible for formulating, reviewing, and approving university policies, including oversight of non-academic management. The MWA also builds networks with external institutions and individuals, including local governments and civil society organizations, to ensure transparent, inclusive, and accountable university governance.

The MWA’s membership includes five community representatives, demonstrating formal representation of local community interests within the university’s highest policy-making body. Their participation provides a channel for community perspectives and interests to inform university decision-making. Through this formal representation, local stakeholders can contribute to discussions and decisions on general policies, strategic plans, and non-academic management.

Beyond formal representation in the MWA, UNS also provides opportunities for direct engagement with local communities through consultative and community outreach activities. For example, during Ramadan, the Rector invites residents from surrounding subdistricts to participate in university-organized gatherings. These activities strengthen relationships, maintain open communication, and allow the university to listen to the concerns and aspirations of the surrounding community.

UNS also seeks input from local residents before undertaking campus infrastructure development, particularly when constructing new buildings. By engaging the surrounding community and considering their feedback before construction begins, the university gives local stakeholders a meaningful opportunity to express their views and contribute to decisions that may affect their living environment. This approach helps ensure that campus development considers community needs and interests.

Through formal representation in the MWA, direct consultation, and community engagement activities, UNS establishes participatory mechanisms that enable local stakeholders—including local residents, local government, and civil society representatives—to contribute to university decision-making. These practices reflect UNS’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance, aligned with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), particularly by promoting inclusive decision-making, responsive institutions, and meaningful public participation.

Sources:

• https://mwa.uns.ac.id/mwa/ 
• https://mwa.uns.ac.id/struktur-organisasi-mwa/