Government Provides IDR 1 Trillion Companion Fund For Merdeka Campus

PEKANBARU - The government has allocated Rp1 trillion in matching funds in 2022 to facilitate and accelerate universities in implementing the Merdeka Campus policy.

"We hope that this matching fund can encourage the utilization of universities, lecturers and students by local governments, by industry players, tourism players, economic actors so that regional development will be more optimal," said the Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education and Culture Prof. Nizam in Pekanbaru, Antara, Thursday, July 14.

Nizam was present at the groundbreaking event (the laying of the first stone) marking the start of the development of the Advance Knowledge & Skill for Sustainable Growth Project in Indonesia-Asian Development Bank (AKSI-ADB) UNRI, witnessed by Riau Provincial Secretary SF Hariyanto in the open field of UNRI's Bina Widya campus, in Pekanbaru .

According to him, technically if the regional government will build an area, for example, it requires support from students, lecturers from UNRI, then the regional government commits to finance the budget of Rp. 100 million, then it will also be given a matching fund of Rp. 100 million or the same amount from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia.

The matching funds, he said, were given to empower lecturers and students to be more beneficial for regional development in implementing the Merdeka Campus.

"The Merdeka Campus Program is by inviting students to interact directly with the community. So we ask the Regional Secretary and local government officials to use UNRI students and lecturers to work together for development needs in the region, both overcoming stunting, the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

In addition, it also empowers MSMEs, the community, increases the added value of agriculture, tourism and the regional economy, and uses students as a driver of superior human resources for the nation's future.

Thus, if students interact with development, their readiness to become professionals will be even better. Students can now stay off campus for one year while still being given credits by the campus. For example, working on projects that are relevant to their scientific discipline and relevant to development needs in the region.

"Therefore, it is hoped that the existence of universities can become a spring for every development in the region. Campuses and the regional government must be closely related to help overcome regional government problems, and encourage accelerated development in the regions," he said.