Bontang Mayor Welcomes 132 Students for Collaborative Community Service Programme from Eight Universities

The Bontang city government has officially received 132 students for the Collaborative Community Service Programme (KKN) involving eight universities in 2026. The students will carry out their KKN in 15 sub-districts across Bontang for 40 days to implement their knowledge and contribute to community development. The handover ceremony took place at the 3D Auditorium on Monday morning (13/7), marked by the symbolic transfer of the 52nd Mulawarman University (Unmul) KKN participants from the committee chair, Prof. Suwardani Paramita, to Bontang Mayor Neni Moerniaeni, witnessed by sub-district and village heads. The auditorium was filled with the yellow alma mater jackets of Unmul students, who formed the majority of this year’s participants. Bontang Mayor Neni Moerniaeni stressed that a student’s success is not solely determined by academic achievement but also by their ability to apply knowledge within society. She described KKN as a genuine learning space for building character, social awareness, and adaptability. ‘When you go into the community, you will feel that the knowledge gained in lectures is not always easy to apply. That is where the real learning process happens. Mingle with the community, build good communication, do not act like a know-it-all, and be humble,’ she advised. The mayor, who is also a doctor, recalled her own KKN experience as a valuable foundation for understanding community needs. She reminded the students to maintain solidarity, help one another, respect local residents, and uphold ethics. Furthermore, Neni called on the students to become agents of change in preventing drug abuse and to provide education to the younger generation. ‘Look after your social circles. Be a role model in the community and never forget your parents’ sacrifices. They are waiting for you to wear your graduation gowns with pride,’ she said. The mayor expressed her appreciation to Unmul and all participating universities for their trust in Bontang. Meanwhile, the Head of the Bontang Social and Community Empowerment Agency, Ahmad Yani, reported that through this programme, the government hopes students can bring innovation while helping to solve issues at the community level. ‘We hope the students not only gain learning experience but can also apply their knowledge to provide real benefits to the community,’ he stated. Similar appreciation was conveyed by the Chair of the 52nd Unmul KKN Committee, Prof. Suwardani Paramita. She explained that this year’s programme marks the 52nd KKN for the university, which was established in 1962, driven by a spirit of building campus synergy that impacts society. According to Prof. Paramita, the success of KKN is not measured by the thickness of reports, but by the tangible benefits felt by the community after the programme concludes. ‘We want the results of KKN not to stop at administrative reports. What is far more important is how student programmes can provide a positive impact and become solutions to community needs,’ she said. Through this collaboration of eight universities, the Bontang City Government hopes to see the emergence of new innovations and ideas that can support regional development, while providing valuable experience for students in dedicating their knowledge.