Bontang Mayor Welcomes 132 Students for Collaborative Community Service Programme from Eight Universities
The Bontang city government has officially received 132 students participating in the Collaborative Community Service Programme (KKN) of Eight Universities for 2026. The 132 students will carry out their community service across 15 urban villages in Bontang over 40 days, implementing their academic knowledge whilst contributing to community development.
The handover ceremony took place at the 3 Dimensions Auditorium on Monday morning (13 July). The event was marked by the symbolic handover of the 52nd Universitas Mulawarman (Unmul) KKN cohort by the programme committee chair, Prof. Suwardani Paramita, to the Mayor of Bontang, Neni Moerniaeni, attended by district heads and urban village heads across the city. The auditorium was filled with the yellow colours of Unmul’s alma mater, whose students make up the majority of this year’s participants.
Mayor Neni Moerniaeni emphasised that a student’s success is determined not only by academic achievement but also by their ability to apply knowledge in the midst of community life. According to her, KKN is a true learning space for shaping character, social awareness, and adaptability.
“When you go into the community later, you will find that the knowledge gained in lecture halls is not always easy to apply. That is where the real learning process begins. Mingle with the community, build good communication, never think you know best, and be humble,” said Bunda Neni.
The mayor, who is also a medical doctor by profession, recalled her own KKN experience during her student years, which became a valuable foundation for understanding community needs. She reminded students of the importance of maintaining solidarity, helping one another, respecting local residents, and upholding ethics.
Beyond that, Neni encouraged the students to become agents of change in preventing drug abuse within communities and to educate the younger generation.
“Watch your social circles. Be role models in the community and never forget your parents’ sacrifices. They are waiting for you to return wearing your graduation gown with pride,” she said.
The mayor expressed her appreciation to Unmul and all the universities involved in the collaborative KKN for the trust placed in Bontang.
Meanwhile, the head of Bontang’s Social and Community Empowerment Agency (DSPM), Ahmad Yani, reported that through this programme the government hopes the students can bring innovation whilst helping to resolve various issues at the community level.
“We hope the students will not only gain learning experience but also apply their knowledge so that it delivers real benefits to the community,” he said.
Similar appreciation was conveyed by the chair of Unmul’s 52nd KKN committee, Prof. Suwardani Paramita. She explained that this year marks the 52nd edition of Unmul’s KKN — the university having been established in 1962 — with a spirit of building campus synergy that has a genuine impact on society.
According to Prof. Paramita, the success of KKN is not measured by the thickness of the final report, but by the tangible benefits felt by communities once the programme ends.
“We want the KKN outcomes to go beyond administrative reports. What matters far more is how the students’ programmes can deliver a positive impact and become solutions to the community’s needs,” she said.
Through this collaboration between eight universities, the Bontang city government hopes various new innovations and ideas will emerge to support regional development, whilst providing a valuable experience for the students in dedicating their knowledge to society.