UPJ Thematic Community Service Program in Kampung Ilmu: Interdisciplinary Students Realize Impactful Learning for the Community

Bintaro, South Tangerang, July 14, 2025 — Universitas Pembangunan Jaya (UPJ) is once again implementing its Thematic Community Service Program (KKN) as a form of community service based on real-world experience. The activity took place from July 7–10, 2025, at Kampung Ilmu, Cisarua Village, Tegalwaru Subdistrict, Purwakarta, West Java, involving eight students from five programs: Architecture, Computer Science, Product Design, Accounting, and Management.

This program is designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world community conditions by directly engaging students in addressing local issues while developing adaptive and sustainable solutions rooted in scientific knowledge. The activity will continue in mid-August 2025 for the implementation phase of products and programs based on the village's potential that have been designed.

Students conducted observations, open dialogues, and developed prototype solutions related to issues in the fields of livestock farming, agriculture, early childhood education, local product design, and household financial literacy. One of the contributions developed, for example, is a design for traditional chicken coops to prevent stunting, efficient packaging designs for harvest products, an IoT system for livestock farming, and family financial management education based on informal credit risk.

This activity also brought together UPJ students with students from other universities such as Universitas Pasundan and Universitas Gadjah Mada who were conducting similar activities at Kampung Ilmu, opening up a space for inter-university dialogue that enriched collaborative experiences.

“This KKN is not only an academic practice space but also a space for the actualization of social values, commitment to the community, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our students learn not only to identify issues but also to become part of the solution process,” said one of the field supervisors.

Kampung Ilmu was chosen as a partner location due to its diversity in managing local resources, such as plant nurseries, multifunctional reservoirs, independent livestock feed production, and the cultivation of catfish and dairy goats. This location presents both challenges and opportunities for contextual learning, enabling students to integrate theory and practice in a relevant manner.

This thematic KKN is part of the strategy for Impactful Community Service, in line with the Diktiristek Berdampak guidelines from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. UPJ positions students as both learners and community partners in the process of social change, through an approach that values context, participation, and sustainability.