Presenting Various Programs, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Invites Students To Enter The World Of Entrepreneurship

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto at Wijaya Kusuma University Surabaya (UWKS) (Photo: DOK ekon.go.id)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto hopes that Wijaya Kusuma University Surabaya (UWKS) can form business incubators to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of students. Increasing entrepreneurship is an important focus to increase the ratio in Indonesia, which is still at 3.47 percent of the total population.

The government, said Airlangga, has opened up great opportunities for anyone to become an entrepreneur through various programs. Both financing programs through People's Business Credit (KUR), capacity development training, to digital training to support business development.

“I hope that students always keep up with the times and hone themselves to become entrepreneurs. Like the UWKS motto, 'Anggi Wimbuh Linuwih', so that students always grow and develop for the better and maintain the values of the Indonesian nation and culture," said Airlangga while giving a Public Lecture at UWKS, as in an electronic message received in Jakarta, Sunday, 20 February.

According to him, the emergence of entrepreneurship from students and the younger generation of Indonesia can revive the national economy.

This is needed because Indonesia is currently still hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlangga is optimistic that more and more entrepreneurial spirit will make Indonesia get out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I believe we can come out as champions of this COVID-19 pandemic," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga.

The chairman of the Golkar Party DPP emphasized that the government has prepared many programs to encourage the improvement of the quality of Indonesia's young generation.

Among other things, through the Bidik Misi/Indonesian Smart College Card Program which will reach 713.8 thousand students, Education Fund Management Institution Scholarships for 8,600 new students and 20,090 on-going students, school operational assistance which will target 8.8 million students, and programs Smart Indonesia which will be accepted by 20.1 million students.

However, Airlangga reminded, acceleration in improving the quality of human resources and economic transformation requires coordination and synergy with universities.

In particular, UWKS is expected to continue to work together to encourage higher education so that it can develop innovative research, and can also continue to innovate, and participate in empowering the community.

Airlangga who is also the Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) said that Indonesia is currently experiencing a demographic bonus with the majority of the young generation being of productive age (16-30 years).

Based on the population census of the Central Statistics Agency in 2020, Indonesia has 64.50 million youths out of a total of 270.20 million population. This demographic bonus will certainly encourage productivity and in terms of demand. Therefore, improving the quality of Human Resources (HR) is very crucial.

"Through the 2022 state budget, the government will continue to be committed to improving the quality of human resources. The budget that has been prepared is IDR 542.8 trillion and this is used to improve the quality of human resources as the main capital for national development, "said Airlangga.