Encouraging Students to Become Export Entrepreneurs, Trade Minister Launches Campuspreneur Programme at UNS
Trade Minister Budi Santoso launched the Campuspreneur programme: Developing Young Export-Oriented Entrepreneurs at Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) in Surakarta on Thursday (2/4). The programme is expected to encourage the emergence of young entrepreneurs from the student community.
The launch, held at the Auditorium GPH Haryo Mataram at UNS, was accompanied by the signing of several strategic cooperation agreements between the Ministry of Trade and various universities in Indonesia.
Trade Minister Budi Santoso stated that the Campuspreneur programme is a concrete government effort to prepare university graduates not only to be ready to work but also to create jobs.
“After graduating from university, students should not only be ready to work but must also be able to create jobs through businesses they build themselves, either as exporters or domestic business actors,” said Budi.
According to him, the entrepreneurship trend among students is currently developing continuously. Many students are starting businesses while still pursuing their education.
“This should be appreciated as it shows that our young generation has extraordinary potential and talent in business,” he said.
Budi added that the government will continue to strengthen this potential through mentoring, opening market access, and connections to domestic and international markets.
“In the future, this potential will continue to be developed, including by providing mentoring, opening market access, and connecting them to domestic and international markets,” he stated.
The Campuspreneur programme will be strengthened through training, business matching, and collaboration with Indonesian trade representatives abroad, such as Trade Attachés and the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC).
“We hope that through this programme, students will be further encouraged to become resilient and competitive business actors,” Budi emphasised.
VISIONARY STEP
Meanwhile, UNS Rector Hartono described the programme as a visionary step to strengthen Indonesia’s position in global trade through campus-based young entrepreneurship development.
“Students are no longer just prepared as job seekers, but must also become job creators and even young exporters capable of bringing Indonesian products to the world market,” said Hartono.
Currently, Indonesia’s entrepreneurship ratio is recorded at around 3.29%, still lagging behind Malaysia at about 8% and developed countries at 10–12%. The government views strengthening entrepreneurship among students as an important strategy to increase this ratio.
Several university leaders attended the launch, either in person or online, including Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta Harun Joko Prayitno, Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta Noorhaidi Hasan, Vice Rector of Institut Teknologi Kalimantan Erma Suryani, and Rector of Universitas Diponegoro Suharnomo.