A month ago, dozens of young students from Teluk Bintuni, West Papua, arrived at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), carrying hopes for a brighter future. From July 2–31, 2026, 99 students from SMKN 1 Bintuni participated in an intensive learning program at FEB UGM, where they studied accounting, financial reporting, business digitalization, and character development through classroom and laboratory-based activities.
Their time in Yogyakarta and at FEB UGM left a lasting impression. One of the participants, Rian Yonatan Aktawlora, shared that the program provided practical knowledge highly relevant to the workplace while allowing students to experience the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the university community.
“The knowledge shared throughout the program was highly relevant and easy to understand. The kindness of the people here made us feel at home. I hope I can apply the knowledge and skills I have gained in Bintuni and one day return to Yogyakarta with even greater achievements,” he said during the Closing Ceremony of the Internship Preparation, Character Development, and Financial Health Literacy Training Program, held at the Auditorium of the Learning Center Building, FEB UGM, on Friday (July 31).
Christina Santika W. Difinubun expressed similar enthusiasm. She highlighted the opportunity to learn through the SIDEK-Edu platform as one of the most valuable experiences during the program.
“My favorite topic was SIDEK-Edu because it greatly helps in preparing financial reports and will be useful if I decide to start a business in the future. We also learned about trading and service companies, as well as public speaking, all of which were very beneficial,” she said.
The Internship Preparation, Character Development, and Financial Health Literacy Training Program involved 99 students from four vocational study programs: 41 students from Accounting and Financial Institutions, 28 from Visual Communication Design, 18 from Light Vehicle Engineering, and 12 from Computer and Network Engineering. The program forms part of FEB UGM’s community engagement initiatives. It reflects a collaborative partnership between FEB UGM, the Teluk Bintuni Regency Government, and SMKN 1 Bintuni to prepare young people for the world of work. It was organized in collaboration among the Accounting Education Research Group, the Information Systems Research Group, the Department of Accounting, and the Research and Development for Societal Impact (RDSI) at FEB UGM.
Drs. Solihudin, S.Pd., M.Pd., Head of the Secondary and Vocational Education Division of the Teluk Bintuni Regency Education Office, West Papua Province, expressed his appreciation to FEB UGM for providing valuable learning opportunities for the students. According to him, studying directly in a university environment enables vocational students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world professional practice.
“These students were allowed to learn, grow, and gain firsthand experience. Internships serve as a bridge between classroom learning and the realities of the workplace. We hope that everything they have learned over the past month can be applied both at school and in their future careers,” he said.
He also expressed hope that the partnership between the Teluk Bintuni Regency Government and FEB UGM would continue to grow, allowing more young people from the region to pursue higher education at UGM.
Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at FEB UGM, Bayu Sutikno, S.E., M.S.M., Ph.D., emphasized that throughout the month-long program, the participants had become part of the FEB UGM family.
“Over the past month, all of you have become part of the FEB UGM family. We hope the experiences you have gained here will become valuable assets for your future. We are proud to have accompanied some of Indonesia’s brightest young talents, and we hope that one day some of you will return to this campus as UGM students,” he said.
Coordinator of the Financial Health Literacy Training Program, Arika Artiningsih, S.E., M.Acc., M.Com., M.Res., Ph.D., explained that the program was designed to address one of the major challenges facing Indonesia’s vocational education system, namely the gap between graduates’ competencies and industry needs.
In addition to character development, communication skills, professional ethics, financial health literacy, and business digitalization, students from the Accounting and Financial Institutions program received hands-on training in preparing financial statements for service companies using the SIDEK-Edu Learning Management System (LMS), spreadsheets, and SIDEK-ERP as an integrated accounting system learning platform.
More than simply a month-long training program, the initiative provided students with an opportunity to grow personally, adapt to a new environment, build self-confidence, and prepare themselves for future careers. The collaboration among universities, local governments, and schools is expected to continue, creating greater educational opportunities for young people from diverse regions across Indonesia and helping them build a brighter future.
Report: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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