125 Students Deployed to Eastern Indonesia Transmigration Areas in Patriot Expedition

Makassar (ANTARA) - Hasanuddin University (Unhas), as the managing university, has deployed 125 participants of the 2026 Patriot Expedition Team (TEP) from various universities to serve in strategic transmigration areas in Eastern Indonesia (KTI). The Patriot Expedition programme is part of the Patriot Transmigration Programme initiated by the Ministry of Transmigration as a model of collaboration between the government, universities, and communities to strengthen regional development. Representing the Unhas Patriot Expedition management team, drg Nursyamsi stated on Thursday that the Patriots will serve in several strategic transmigration areas in Eastern Indonesia, including Weri-Saharey in Fakfak Regency, West Papua, as well as Muna, Kolaka, Konawe, East Luwu, and Sidenreng Rappang (Sidrap). The entire programme is scheduled to run until December 2026 as part of efforts to provide sustainable assistance tailored to the characteristics of each region. Regarding the recruitment process, he said it began in early June 2026 and received high enthusiasm with 1,182 applicants, consisting of 842 participants from various partner universities and 340 from Unhas. After the selection process, 803 participants underwent self-assessment and online interviews in two waves before 125 participants were finally appointed as 2026 Patriot Transmigration members. Nursyamsi explained that the selection process measured not only academic competence but also the ability to work in teams, facilitate communities, and implement programmes according to the needs of the assignment areas. As one of the destination areas, the Acting Head of the Manpower and Transmigration Office of Fakfak Regency, Lud Masrur Kamudi, expressed his readiness to welcome the participants and support all activities during their service period. The local government hopes the team’s presence will strengthen efforts to explore and develop local potential, thereby sustainably improving the quality of transmigration areas. ‘We are committed to continuously overseeing the implementation of the Patriot Transmigration Programme while the participants are in the field,’ he said. All preparations have been made. ‘We look forward to the arrival of the Patriot Expedition Team from Makassar to begin collaboration in developing the potential of transmigration areas and delivering benefits that can be directly felt by the community,’ he added.